Saving Me
by Kit-cat99
Summary: Johnny's best friend, Ben's niece, comes along for the space adventure and, of course, gets hit by the cloud as well. Gone through both movies and now Complete. Look for sequel!
1. Chapter 1

**Saving Me**

Summary: Johnny's best friend gets permission to come along on the space journey. A few things to know though…his best friend is a girl. She's also Ben's niece. The line between friend and friendlier is very thin and it just might get crossed as the discovery of powers makes an appearance.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Fantastic Four character people. They belong to Stan Lee.

A/N: The character I have in this story is generally the same as the one I have in _Everything Burns_ except for her name, as well as her behaviour towards a few people.

* * *

"Hey, I'm looking for Mercedes Denver." Johnny said, walking into the building and removing his sunglasses.

"Miss Denver is with a 'class'." The woman at the desk said.

"Yeah, I figured." Johnny said. "So can you tell me which studio she's in?"

"Give me a second." The woman said. Johnny sighed and watched as she, slowly, flipped through the papers on a clipboard.

"You know…I'll find it myself." He said, giving her a sarcastic smile. He headed down the hall and peeked into a room. "Ah…ballroom." He looked into another one. He paused there, watching the women in skimpy outfits. "Right…looking for Merc." He shook his head and continued down the hall. He stopped and pushed open a door. He instantly smiled as he saw a familiar female dancing with a bunch of kids who seemed to be around the same age as her.

"Ok and one, two, three…down…up. Girls turn then fall…guys catch them!" Johnny smirked as he watched his friend giving instructions. One of the guys dropped the girl he was supposed to catch. "That's why we have the mats…anyone else wanna complain about them?"

"Yeah…they don't match the rest of the room." Johnny said. His friend turned then smiled and ran at him before jumping on him. Johnny grabbed her thighs to keep her up. "How ya doing, Merc?"

"Do you have to ask?" Merc asked, smiling and hugging him before jumping down. She looked at her 'class'. "Everyone…this is my friend Johnny Storm." The girls all smiled and waved while the guys just nodded. "Oh…Johnny…maybe you can help us out here."

"I dunno." Johnny said.

"Come on…you were the one that helped me with this to begin with!" Merc said, flicking her light brown hair over her shoulder. "Please?"

"Fine." Johnny said. He followed her to a spot in front of the group.

"Jake…can you reset the song to start from where we just were?" Merc asked. One of the guys nodded and went to the stereo. A few seconds later the song was playing from the place that Johnny had come in at. He stood behind Merc as she did the moves she wanted the other girls to know. She dropped down, got back up, spun, and then fell. Johnny instantly caught and pushed her lightly back to standing then joined her in a few more moves.

"Miss Denver we have to go." One of the girls said.

"Oh…" Merc said, stopping. She looked at the clock. "You're right. Ok well…I'll see you guys same time next week and…"

"Actually…you won't." Johnny said. Merc looked at him. "Week after that." Everyone looked at him then at Merc.

"Uh…ok…see you the week after next." Merc said. "Spend that time practicing because when I see you all again I expect everyone to KNOW the steps for at least two and a half songs." The class all left and Merc turned to Johnny. "Ok NASA drop-out…why won't I see them next week?"

"You won't see them next week because…" Johnny said, whipping out a card and handing it to Merc. "Victor has agreed to letting you come along."

"Cool…come along where?" Merc asked.

"He ain't lying, Mercy." Ben said. Merc sat at the table next to him as Debbie cooked up dinner.

"So I actually get to go into space with you guys?" She asked, bouncing like a little kid.

"Yeah…calm down." Ben said.

"Awww but Uncle Ben…" Merc said. "You know I always wanted to go into space and be closer to the stars."

"You always wanted to read peoples' minds and make things happen with your own as well." Ben said. Debbie put a plate of food in front of him. "Thanks Debs."

"No problem, baby." Debbie said. "Are you hungry, Merc?" Merc opened her mouth to say 'no' but Ben jumped in.

"Yes she is!" He said. Merc looked at him and glared slightly. Debbie put a plate in front of her as well before getting her own and sitting down.

"I was going to say no because I told Johnny…" Merc said.

"You also told me that you'd spend tonight here." Ben said.

"Well can I at least call him?" Merc asked. "He's my best friend Uncle Ben."

"Timing." Ben said.

"Ben." Debbie said. Merc smiled at her before getting up, picking up her plate and going into a different room. "He may not be the nicest boy but he is nice to her."

"That doesn't mean I have to like them being friends." Ben said.

"According to you, they were friends before he became a playboy." Debbie said, smiling slightly as she ate.

"Nah…my uncle wants me to stay in tonight." Merc said on the phone.

"That's no problem." Johnny said.

"I bet it's not. You probably have a line of girls waiting for you to go out with them." Merc said.

"Hey…if you really needed me I'd drop any of them for you." Johnny said. "Unless, you know, she was like a model or something."

"Johnny Storm, you nerd!!" Merc said. "Ok so anyways, you're still gonna give me that tour right?"

"Of course." Johnny said. "And I won't even charge you for being in my presence."

"I should be charging you." Merc said.

"Why?" Johnny asked.

"Because most people need to be paid to hang around you as much as I do." Merc said, laughing.

"Ah!" Johnny said, mocking shock. "You can't see it but my hand's over my heart."

"Get some rest Mr. Pilot." Merc said. "I'll see you…"

"Tomorrow probably." Johnny said. "Night, Mercy."

"Night." Merc said, hanging up. She brought her empty plate to the kitchen and then went to her room. She sighed and sat on her bed.

"…And over there you got…yet another office." Johnny said the next day. "Gee…ain't this place surprising."

"Shut up." Merc said.

"Hey, you were the one that wanted the tour." Johnny said.

"Yeah I know. Just thought it'd be different somehow." Merc said. "Like…maybe some high-tech…mass destructive things or something."

"You think too much of Victor." Johnny said quietly. Merc giggled. At that moment, Victor came around the corner up ahead of them. Merc fell silent.

"Ah…this must be the infamous Mercedes." Victor said. "I'm glad to finally have the pleasure of meeting you."

"Oh? I've heard of me?" Merc asked, accepting his hand.

"Susan won't stop talking about how much Johnny won't stop talking about you." Victor said. Merc looked at Johnny and he successfully avoided her gaze. She narrowed her eyes slightly. "I hope that you enjoy your time with us."

"Oh I will." Merc said. "Thanks for letting me come along." She was glad she actually sounded sincere because she sure didn't feel like it. She gently pulled her hand out of Victor's grasp and looked at Johnny. She really wished she knew what he was thinking then

"So…what are you two up to anyways?" Victor asked.

"Just showing her around." Johnny said. "Almost done showing her all the exact same offices." Merc bit the inside of her cheek to stop from laughing. "We'll be off then, come on Mercy." He took Merc's hand and led her around Victor. Merc laughed once they were out of ear range. Johnny joined her, leaning against the wall.

"That was just stupid." Merc said. "Funny…but stupid."

"That's what you say about everything I do." Johnny said. "For years now…"

"Years?" Merc asked. "Johnny we've only been friends since Sue and Reed started dating."

"Yeah…still counts as years." Johnny said.

"My definition of 'years' is maybe like ten or more." Merc said.

"If it were ten years, you would have been nine when we started being friends." Johnny said.

"Wow…you are, like, so smart." Merc said, faking a valley girl voice.

"Your sarcasm makes me feel sooo much better." Johnny said.

"I do what I can…so let's finish this tour." Merc said.

A few days later she stood, examining herself in a mirror. She ran her hands over the full body, dark blue, wetsuit-like uniform.

"These are great." Merc said.

"Victor came up with them." Sue said. Merc turned and smiled when she saw her. "How you doing?"

"I'm fine." Merc said, hugging her. "How about you?"

"Great." Sue said.

"Captain on the bridge!" They heard Johnny yell.

"Oh no…I hope he doesn't bother my uncle too much." Merc said.

"…should be flying or performing Swan Lake in these suits." They heard Ben say as they neared where the guys all were. "Who the hell came up with these things?"

"Victor did, apparently." Merc said. Everyone turned to see both girls in the uniforms. Johnny's jaw dropped.

"The synthetics act as a second skin, adapting to your body's individual needs." Sue said.

"Now that means it keeps the hot stuff hot, and the cool stuff cool." Johnny said.

"Oh I thought it'd make the hot stuff cool and vice versa." Merc said, sarcastically.

"Laugh it up shorty." Johnny said. Merc stuck her tongue out at him.

"Fantastic." Reed said, not having heard a word the younger two had said. He took the suit from Ben's hands and Merc looked at Sue to see her frown. "Material made from self-regulating unstable molecules. I've been working on a formula for this."

"Great minds think alike." Sue said. She handed Ben one of the flight suits she had been carrying. "Here you are Ben."

"Thanks sweetie." Ben said.

"Reed." Sue said, throwing the other one at Reed as she went past him. Merc looked at Johnny and both held in laughing.

She decided to spend her last night on earth working on dances. If she expected her class to have things nicely done then she'd have to keep herself one step ahead of them. She was completely unaware of the fact that she had been singing along with the song as she danced until she spun around and found herself looking at Sue.

"You could give the Pussycat Dolls a run for their money." Sue said.

"I don't think I'm at that level of…burlesque dancing yet." Merc said.

"I think you've passed it." Sue said. "Is that what you're teaching?"

"Kinda." Merc said. "Just…not as…"

"Slutty?" Sue asked, smiling. Merc laughed slightly.

"Yeah…slutty." She said, nodding. "So…you and Victor…"

"What about me and Victor?" Sue asked.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Merc said.

"We work together…and…" Sue said. She sighed. "Things are complicated."

"Ok." Merc said. "I guess it's bedtime then."

"Yeah…early day tomorrow." Sue said. She hugged Merc. "See you in the morning."

"Good night, Sue." Merc said. "It's nice seeing you again."

"You too." Sue said. She left the room and Merc sat on her bed, thinking about what would happen up in space.

* * *

Ok so a little rushed but I couldn't think of much else to put in this chapter. Like I said, Merc is the same as Alexa but…a few aspects are different. 


	2. Incoming Trouble

**Incoming Trouble**

Cool I got reviews for this. Lol.

* * *

Merc's head kept falling as she tried staying awake. Johnny found it amusing as he watched her head fall onto her chest then shoot back up quickly. Merc finally hit him, making Ben laugh.

"Stay awake, Mercy." Johnny said.

"Shut up." Merc said.

A few hours later she was wide awake as they walked into the command center at the space station.

"If you behave, maybe next time daddy will let you drive." Johnny said as he walked by Merc, who was busy staring at Earth, with Ben.

"Keep talking, there won't be a next time." Ben threatened. Merc tore her eyes away from the planet and looked at Reed as Sue approached him.

"Long way from the projection booth at the Hayden Planetarium, isn't it?" Sue asked. Reed looked at her, somewhat stunned. He then smiled.

"Yes. Yes it is." Reed said.

"We can monitor the clouds approach and observe the tests from here." Sue said, indicated where Reed would be working.

"Is it safe?" Ben asked.

"The shields on the station should protect us." Reed said.

"Should?" Ben and Merc both asked.

"What's wrong, Ben?" Victor asked. "Eight-million dollars worth of equipment not enough for you?"

"Let's start loading those samples." Reed said. Merc looked at Johnny who indicated to where they would be going. "Get your suit ready, Ben."

"So you still do all the heavy lifting?" Victor asked, smiling. He patted Reed's shoulder. "Maybe you should have stayed back in the lab. Field work never suited you."

"He does the talking. I do the walking. Got it?" Ben said.

"Ok, I think that's enough for now." Merc said, stepping between Ben and Victor. "Come on Uncle Ben. Johnny and I will help you." She took Ben's arm and started over to Johnny.

"Take a walk, Ben." Victor called after them. Merc tightened her grip on her uncle's arm.

"Please tell me your guy's not trying to rekindle things with my sister." Johnny said, helping Ben with the suit while Merc, doing as she was told, unloaded the samples from a cart.

"Course not." Ben said. "Strictly business."

"Yeah well…" Johnny said, played with something on Ben's wrist. "His eyes say different, thanks Mercy." He took the samples from Merc. Ben grabbed his hand.

"Hey, two hears got busted last time." Ben said.

"Oh Uncle Ben…" Merc muttered.

"Maybe she's not over it either." Ben said, ignoring her.

"That's deep Dr. Phil." Johnny said. Merc stayed outside the air-lock as Ben and Johnny both stepped into it. "Let's see…you got Victor, stud of the year, more coin than God." He attached the sample to Ben's belt and put the handle into Ben's hand. "And then there's Reed…the world's dumbest smart guy with less than a postage stamp. Hmmm, it's a toss-up."

"Johnny stop." Merc said.

"Don't wander off now, boy." Johnny said. He stepped out of the air-lock and shut it. He mock saluted Ben then gave him thumps up. Merc smacked him lightly as the air-lock door opened for Ben to get out of it. "Now we just sit back and wait."

"For what?" Merc asked.

"I dunno." Johnny said. Merc rolled her eyes. "So…thought about what you're gonna do now?"

"I thought the dancing thing was my decision of what I wanted to do." Merc said.

"Well yeah, I guess." Johnny said. "So…no college…no university?"

"I don't think so." Merc said.

"Oh? Why not?" Johnny asked.

"Man, I could barely stand High School." Merc said. "EVERYONE was surprised that I graduated remember?" Johnny nodded. "There's no way I'm gonna last more then four months in college so why waste my uncle's money?"

"Good point." Johnny said. "You make a lot of sense, little girl."

"Well little boy, I learn from the best." Merc said, glancing out the air-lock door.

"I'm not little." Johnny said, somewhat flirting. Merc looked at him as he approached her. "You should know that by now."

"Maybe I do…maybe I don't." Merc said, surprised to find herself flirting right back. They now stood right in front of each other. Merc tilted her head back slightly to look at Johnny's face better.

"You know that you…" Johnny started. He jumped away from her as Reed came running over to them. He hit a button.

"Ben you have to get back in here." Reed said.

"What's going on?" Johnny asked. Merc looked out the door and her eyes widened.

"I'm done arranging your flowers yet, egghead." Ben said.

"Ben, turn around." Reed said.

"Holy…" Johnny muttered.

"You guys, I'm not gonna make it." Ben said.

"You gotta jump!" Merc said.

"What?" Johnny and Reed both said.

"It's the only way!" Merc said. "Uncle Ben you HAVE to jump!" He did as she said. It felt as if things were going in slow motion as the three of them watched Ben leap through the air towards the air-lock.

"Ok…Johnny get ready to close the door." Reed said. Johnny nodded and went to the controls. Merc had her hands pressed against the glass, coming close to having her whole front pressed against it as well.

"Come on…come on…" She muttered. She screamed as the cloud hit Ben, propelling him into the air-lock. She groaned at the look on his face but her eyes were drawn to the closed door behind him where an eerie red glow from the cloud was pushing it's way through.

The last thing she could remember was the red glow surrounding them, enormous amounts of pain…and hearing someone shouting in her head.

"I don't want to go to school…" Merc muttered, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to block out the beeping noise.

_Crazy kid._

Her eyes opened and she saw Johnny standing by her bed. Merc groaned and sat up, pushing her hair out of her face.

"Hey sleeping beauty. How you doing?" Johnny asked.

"I feel like I was just run over…" Merc said, rubbing her forehead. "Repeatedly."

"Oh." Johnny said, his face falling slightly. "So I guess you're not up to snowboarding then."

"Nope, sorry." Merc said.

"Everyone else is awake already." Johnny said. "So you should probably go see Ben to let him know you're fine." He suddenly smiled.

"What did you do?" Merc asked.

"Nothing." Johnny said.

"Johnny…" Merc said.

"I just pulled a little prank on him…it's nothing you have to worry about." Johnny said. Merc rolled her eyes and looked around the room.

_The look on his face…_

Her eyes shot back to Johnny. She groaned again and rubbed her head.

"You ok?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah…just a headache." Merc said. "You go snowboard. I'll see you later alright?"

"Sure…so long as you're ok." Johnny said.

"I'm fine." Merc said. "Don't have too much fun now." Johnny smiled and left. Merc got out of the bed, made sure she was in appropriate clothing, then left. It took her a while to find Ben and when she did, she found him with Reed.

"I wasn't talking about me and Debbie." Ben said.

"Who are you talking about?" Merc asked. Ben and Reed smiled at her before Ben nodded down to the lower level where Sue sat.

"What? Come on." Reed said. "She's got a good thing with Victor…"

"Did that storm mess up your brain?" Merc asked.

"Look…he's smart, powerful, successful…" Reed said.

"Well then maybe you should date him." Ben said.

"He can give her the life she deserves." Reed said. Merc rolled her eyes and put her arm through Ben's, resting her head on his shoulder. "Things worked out for the best."

"Yeah right." Merc muttered. Reed gave her a look then left.

"Do I gotta do everything myself?" Ben asked.

"I'll help." Merc said, lifting her head.

"Good…because I'll need your help." Ben said. Merc smiled, waking up more. Ben told her what to do and Merc nodded before walking away. She went down a flight of stairs and went out to where Sue was lounging, reading something.

"Hey Susie!" Merc said. Sue looked up and smiled.

"Hey…how you been?" She asked. "You were out longer then the rest of us."

"So I've been told." Merc said, sitting in the other lounge chair. "Uncle Ben wants to know if you want to join him for a drink."

"Why doesn't he just ask?" Sue asked.

"Because I was passing by." Merc said. "I gotta keep working on those dances after all."

"You know I never asked but, do you guys have a show?" Sue asked. "Like…coming up?"

"Yeah…it's pretty soon." Merc said. "Luckily we don't have to do a whole of dances for it. The group is great but they just don't learn quickly." She played with her medical bracelet a bit. "I hope we get to leave soon."

"One more day of testing from what I've heard." Sue said.

"Good." Merc said. They heard a coughing and turned to see Ben. "Ok well you two go get your drinks and I'll go work on dances."

"You won't join us for even one?" Sue asked.

"I'm not old enough to drink, Sue." Merc said. "Remember that little fact."

"Oh right." Sue said, laughing. Merc smiled. They both stood up and went in opposite directions.

* * *

The third chapter will be up as soon as i get reviews for it. 


	3. Discovery

**Discovery**

* * *

Merc leaned against the wall. She had been dancing for hours now. She had taken off her shirt and was now down to wearing a tank top. She was beginning to wish that she had a pair of shorts. The pants were nice but were starting to feel really hot against her skin.

_Wow she's got an amazing body._

Merc jumped and turned around, spotting a few people standing by the doorway.

_Geez what I wouldn't do…_

_Holy shit, she's looking this way._

A few people looked away from her but Merc could see that none of them had spoken. So why on earth did she hear them talking? She looked at the stereo and let it play for a few more seconds before reaching out to turn it off. The switch on it moved by herself and Merc jumped back.

_Oh my god what the hell was that?_

"Out of my way." Merc said, rushing past the people. She wasn't sure if they moved by themselves or she made them move…somehow. She rushed through the halls.

_Whoa, what's the matter with her?_

Merc groaned and slapped her hands over her ears, stopping for a moment.

"Now picture that…but everywhere!" Johnny said. Merc looked around, hearing him. "It was…everywhere. What?"

"Oh thank god." Merc said, running around the corner to find Reed and Sue looking at Johnny who had a pink parka wrapped around his waist. "Guys! I'm hearing people in my head and I am SO not liking it." She smiled slightly. "It's kinda cool but I can't make it stop!" Her smile was gone. "What is going on?"

_Wow…she really should wear tank tops more often. Check out that body on…my best friend!!_ Johnny Thought

"Shut up!" Merc said, crossing her arms over her chest. "When you're dancing for hours you…what?" She noticed Reed and Sue looking at her.

"The cloud has fundamentally altered our DNA." Reed said in a deadpan tone.

"Cool!" Johnny said.

"You're crazy." Merc said. She looked around. "Umm…where's my uncle?" They all looked at each other then headed off to Ben's room. Johnny kept snapping his fingers, making his one finger burst into flame.

"Johnny." Sue said. Johnny ignored her, watching his finger.

_This is so cool._ Johnny thought

Merc glanced at him.

"Johnny stop." Sue said. Johnny still ignored her. "Damn it, Johnny. Stop!"

"Ok." Johnny said.

"Ok? God!" Sue said.

"God!" Johnny said, copying her.

"Ben, are you there?" Reed asked, knocking on Ben's door. "Sue do you have the combination?"

"Yeah." Sue said, going to the number pad next to the door and punching in codes.

"Uncle Ben?" Merc called through the door. She stood on her tiptoes to see over Reed's head as he looked through the little window. "What the hell is going on in there?" She could see the blankets moving as if Ben was rolling around but the shape under it was a lot bigger then her uncle.

"Hey, does someone have a key for these doors?" Johnny called, looking down the hall.

"Uncle Ben! Open the door!" Merc called. She suddenly winced and backed away, bent over slightly with her hand on her head.

"Damn…Merc you ok?" Johnny asked.

"Somethings wrong with him." Merc said. She whimpered slightly, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to block out the pain.

"That's gross." Johnny said, suddenly. Merc opened her eyes in time to see Reed pulling his hand out from under the door.

"Ew." She said. There was a bang from inside the room and all of them ran in. "Uncle Ben?" There was a hole in the wall.

"Look, look, look!" Johnny said, rushing over to the hole, still clutching the parka around his waist. Merc followed him, put her hand on his shoulder, and looked down at the woods. They saw a huge orange looking rock type thing running away. "What is that thing?"

"I think that thing is Ben." Reed said.

"Oh god." Merc said. Johnny put his free arm around her shoulders.

"What's going on here?" Victor asked, coming out of no where as usual. Everyone looked at him. Sue approached him.

"Victor, are you feeling alright?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Victor said. "Just a little banged up." Merc looked at him carefully. _What the hell happened?_

"My uncle did this." Merc said.

"Ben did this?" Victor asked. Merc nodded.

"He's had some kind of…reaction to exposure from the cloud." Reed said.

"We all have different symptoms." Sue said. "Victor, I'm sorry I…

"Just find him." Victor said, leaving.

"Jerk." Merc muttered.

"Anybody know where the big guy's going?" Johnny asked. Merc and Reed looked at each other.

"He's going home." They said together.

"We have to go after him." Merc said.

"It's too late now, Merc." Reed said.

"But…" Merc said.

"We'll go bright and early tomorrow." Reed said. _She has to get some sleep. She doesn't look too good._

"I'm fine!" Merc said.

"I…didn't say anything." Reed said.

"Well…you thought it." Merc said. "Ok I know I always wanted to be telepathic but this is just nuts."

_Tell me about it._ Reed, Sue and Johnny all thought.

"Ok you all just thought that at the same time." Merc said.

"This is gonna drive me insane." Johnny said.

"It's gonna drive you insane?" Merc asked. "How do you think I feel? I'm hearing all of this!" She whined.

"We should at least try to sleep." Reed said. "Merc please. You know he'll be mad if you don't."

"Ok I'm not like that anymore!" Merc said. "Thanks to Pyro here." She reluctantly went back to the room she had been in before.

She didn't sleep and after an hour or so, the door opened.

"Guess you can't sleep either, huh?" Reed asked.

"Nope." Merc said, sitting up. Reed sat on a chair. "I'm betting Johnny's gonna be in here next."

"Why do you think that?" Reed asked. Merc gave him a look that he couldn't see in the dark. She shook her head and held a pillow against her stomach, resting her chin on it.

Half an hour later, Johnny entered the room and was surprised to see Reed sitting there.

"Guess I'm not the only one." He said.

"Join the club." Merc said. Johnny sat next to her on the bed and Merc leaned against him. "What are we going to do?"

"I'll give Debbie a call when we get near enough." Reed said. "Then…" The door opened again.

"Hey Sue." They all said.

"So this is where you all are." Sue said, coming into the room.

"Yeah…I'm Miss Popularity." Merc said. She yawned.

_Poor kid. She really should get some sleep._ Johnny thought. Merc rolled her eyes. Somehow, she did wind up falling asleep.


	4. Discovery Pt2

**Discovery pt.2**

* * *

They left before the sun even rose. Reed sat in the front of the taxi while Merc sat between Sue and Johnny in the back. 

"Ok…Debbie says she'll meet us on the other side of the bridge." Reed said, hanging up Merc's phone and turning around to give it back to her.

"Gee…could you have taken any longer?" Merc asked, looking at it. "I told you the battery was gonna die." She grumbled and turned it off. She looked past Johnny, out the window.

_What's going on up there?_ Sue thought. Merc looking at her then out the front window. There were fires! The taxi driver hit the breaks causing all of them to move forward slightly. Johnny threw his arm out and caught Merc in the chest to stop her from going too far.

"Ow!!" Merc said.

"It's bumper-to-bumper out there." Reed said. They all got out of the taxi and headed towards where the main problem of the accident was. Johnny held tight to Merc's hand so as not to lose her. She felt like a little kid.

_This just isn't my day._ Ben thought.

"Guys! My uncle is here!" Merc said. "I just…I just heard him!" They stopped.

"There's no way we're getting past them." Reed said, looking at the bridge cops. He then looked at Sue. "But maybe you can."

"Wha…" Merc started. She stopped as she saw Sue close her eyes and a few seconds later was invisible…except for her clothes.

"Sue…your clothes." Reed said.

"What about them?" Sue asked.

"Lose them." Merc said.

"Why…oh." Sue said. She began removing her clothes.

"This is so wrong." Johnny muttered, looking everywhere but at his sister. Sue suddenly became visable as she got to her underwear. People gasped and a few of them giggled. Sue gasped as well and tried to cover herself.

"Wow…you've been working out." Reed said, staring at her.

"Shut up!" Sue said. "Any more ideas, Reed? Maybe you should strip naked and have hundreds of people stare at you!" She disappeared again.

"Sue!" Reed said.

"Oh." Sue said. She finished removing her clothes.

"I'm gonna need serious therapy." Johnny said.

"Come on." Reed said, starting to walk again. Johnny picked up Sue's clothes and, with Merc, followed Reed. They met up with Sue again behind some vehicles and she got dressed before becoming visable.

"I still can't believe you made me do that." Sue said.

"We got through." Merc said.

"Just find Ben, alright?" Reed said. He went off and Merc quickly followed him.

"Reed!" She called. He stopped and looked at her. "What's that hissing noise?" They both looked just in time to see a gas tank explode. Reed grabbed Merc and stretched to cover her. "Holy shit!" More cars blew up. Merc saw a fire truck swerving, the back end slashing out and punching through the guard rail. She ran from Reed over to the truck but stopped as he caught up and grabbed her. Both of them leaned over the side of the bridge.

Merc looked at the truck and stepped back as it started sliding backwards, going more and more off the side of the bridge. She threw her hands up as if trying to grab it. The fire truck stopped falling and Merc had the weirdest feeling as if she actually was pulling it.

"Mercy! Don't stop doing what you're doing!" She heard Ben's voice, rougher then usual. She didn't bother looking around, afraid to lose her concentration and wind up allowing the truck to fall. Her hands shook as she focused on moving the fire truck. There was a crunching noise and her head shot to the side as she saw Ben, looking like a giant orange rock, grabbing the front of the truck, digging his heels into the ground and trying to pull it back onto the bridge.

"Uncle Ben!" Merc said.

"I told you not to stop!" Ben said as his feet started dragging across the concrete, digging grooves into the road.

"Oh…right." Merc said. She turned her attention back the truck and narrowed her eyes, focusing. The most she was managing was keeping the truck from falling as Ben pulled it back. Her eyes shot to her uncle as he seemed to be losing his strength. With a final effort from both of them, Merc swung her hands towards the middle of the bridge and gasped as Ben nearly got flattened by the truck. He moved away from the front of it and fell to his knees. Merc used her remaining strength to walk over to him and do the same.

"You did good, kid." Ben said. Merc smiled but jumped as guns were suddenly pointed at Ben and she was pulled away from him.

"Hey! That's my uncle!" She shouted. The firemen all shouted protests to the cops and began applauding. The crowd joined in. Reed, Sue and Johnny all came over to them as Merc ran back to Ben's side. It was then the headache hit her full on as she heard different people thinking their praises to them. One voice stood out the most.

_Oh my god._ Debbie thought. Merc looked up and at the face of the person who she thought would be her future-aunt. Ben noticed her as well and stepped forward but Debbie shook her head, raising her hand.

"Merc?" Johnny muttered. Merc looking at him then at Debbie as she stood up and left quickly. Ben went over to where she had been and bent down. Reed joined him and picked something up before placing it in Ben's hand.

"Oh my god." Merc muttered, tears running down her cheeks. Reed and Ben came back to them and Merc threw her arms around Ben as much as she could.

_I wonder where his ears are._ She looked at Johnny as they sat in a tent.

"Johnny…" Merc muttered.

_How mad would he get if I asked?_ Johnny thought.

"Johnny don't…" Merc started.

"Where are your ears?" Johnny asked. Merc groaned and made a hitting motion. Johnny flinched and slapped his hand onto his arm. "Ow! What…the hell was that?"

"I don't know." Merc said. "But you deserved it!"

"Excuse me." Everyone looked up to see the Chief Fireman standing at the tent entrance. "There's some folks outside that want to talk to you."

"We're not going public with this." Reed said. Merc nodded. "We're scientists, not celebrities."

_Speak for yourself._ Johnny thought. Merc made the hitting motion again and he flinched and glared at her. She stuck her tongue out.

"It's too late for that, son." The fireman said. He turned on the little TV in the corner. "That's what they're calling you. The Fantastic Five."

"Sweet!" Johnny said. He got up and started to leave the ten.

"Where are you going?" Merc asked.

"To talk to them." Johnny said.

"Johnny hold on!" Sue said. "We have to think about this for a second."

"That's great. Brainstorm." Johnny said. He hurried off. Merc jumped up and ran after him.

"Johnny! Maybe we should think for a moment." She said.

"What's to think about? They love us!" Johnny said, not stopping.

"That doesn't matter!" Merc said. She grabbed his arm just as they got to the barrier where a dozen or more flashes were going off. Sue, Reed and Ben showed up. Merc found herself between Ben and Johnny, as usual.

"So which one of you is the leader?" The fireman asked.

"That would be me." Johnny said.

"No…really." The fireman said. Sue nudged Reed who stepped forward. "You're on, son."

"During our recent mission to the Von Doom space station, we were exposed to an as yet-unidentified radioactive energy." Reed said. "Most likely some kind of nucleotide compound…"

"What happened on the bridge?"

"Does it hurt to stretch?"

"Were you really on fire?"

"Is it true that one of you can fly?"

"Yeah I'm working on that." Johnny said. "It's actually a lot harder…" Merc elbowed him in the stomach.

"Actually, we don't know much more than you do at this point." Sue said. "We will be going directly to our lab where we can diagnose our symptoms…"

"Symptoms? So it's like a disease?"

"No!" Merc said. "We don't have any kind of disease."

"But if having special powers did mean having a disease then we got it bad." Johnny said.

"That thing…doesn't look too fantastic."

"Hey! That's my uncle you're talking about!" Merc said. The crowd at the front was pushed back slightly, causing a few people to fall over. "Uh…sorry."

"Ben Grimm is a genuine American hero." Reed said. "He's been through…"

"What he's trying to say is: every team needs a mascot." Johnny said. He put an arm over Reed's shoulders and another over Merc's. "A new day is dawning. The day of the Fantastic Five."

_That wise ass little…_ Ben thought. Merc pushed Johnny's arm off.

"Look, everyone." She said. "We went into space to…find a way to understand DNA." She looked at Reed and Sue. "Ok so…they wanted to understand it. I just went for the free trip." The reporters laughed and Merc rolled her eyes.

"We did it to find ways to cure disease, save lives." Reed said. "Well, now it's our DNA, our…disease, for lack of a better word, and our lives on the line." He looked at Sue, Ben and Merc. "Thank you. No more questions." Reed, Sue and Ben all turned. Johnny looked from them to the crowd as they started walking away.

"Come on." Merc said, taking Johnny's hand. He wouldn't move. "Johnny!" She yanked on his hand and he finally followed. "God, Johnny!"

"What? You were enjoying it, admit it!" Johnny said.

"Just because I can read minds, doesn't mean you can too." Merc said. A noise from the crowd behind them made both of them spin around. Merc finally let go of Johnny's hand as they realized they weren't very far from the reporters.

"Trouble in Fantastic paradise, you two?"

Merc rolled her eyes and hurried after the others. She knew there would be no way that this wasn't going to be turned around on them somehow in the next day's paper.


	5. New Roommates

**New Roommates**

* * *

Merc and Johnny had switched batteries once he had checked messages on his phone. She scrolled through the list of people that had called her. There were messages from most of the kids in the dance class, as well as a few other people that worked there.

"Ok how did they all get my number?" Merc muttered.

"I don't think it would be that hard unless you're impatient." Johnny said. "That secretary there…god I felt like strangling her."

"Why?" Merc asked.

"She was just too slow." Johnny said. "She was hot…but really slow." Merc giggled. She flipped her phone shut, turned it off, then traded batteries with Johnny again. "See…it does come in handy to have the same cell phone, just different colour."

"Yeah, yeah. Do you want a prize now, flame boy?" Merc asked. "You just burned a hole in the knee of your jeans you know." Johnny looked down.

"Aw, man!" He muttered. Merc smirked.

"We're here." Reed said, turning around in the front seat again. Merc looked out the window. Her eyes widened at the size of the building. She then noticed all the flashes.

"I haven't seen this many reporters since people thought Britney Spears was at the dance studio." Merc said.

"Here." Johnny said, handing over a pair of sunglasses. She looked at him to see him wearing a pair himself. "Always have an extra set."

"You dork." Merc said, smiling. She looked back at the police van behind them where Ben was. She felt bad about not sticking with him.

"You can get out any minute now." Johnny said. Merc remembered that he was in the middle this time. She got out of the police car and threw her hand up to shade her eyes from all the flashes. That was a big mistake because she caused people to fly backwards into other people.

"Ok…again…I'm sorry." Merc said. She looked at Johnny who was eating up the attention. He was also with Ben.

"Smile, Ben." Johnny said. "They wanna like ya."

"Uh…" Ben said, turning to a group of kids. "Don't do drugs." He followed Reed and Sue into the building. Merc stood with her arms crossed, watching Johnny soaking up the attention. She coughed loudly and he looked at her.

"Time to go inside, hot shot." Merc said, grabbed his arm and pulling him through the revolving door.

"Welcome back to the Baxter, Dr. Richards." Merc looked at the old mail man. "Got your usual for you." He handed over a bunch of envelopes to Reed.

"We've had a tough year." Reed said, looking somewhat sheepish.

"Yeah…like nine straight." Ben said. They all walked into the elevator. Merc put herself in a corner and Johnny took the other corner. Reed hit a button and the doors slid shut. Nothing happened.

"Either we're moving really fast…or not at all." Johnny said. The doors opened again. Merc looked down as everyone else looked at Ben.

"I'll take the stairs." Ben said.

"I'll go with you." Merc said.

"Nah, don't worry." Ben said. He walked out of the elevator but gave Reed a look before the doors closed again. This time the elevator started moving.

"How come Ben can't turn it on and off like we can?" Johnny asked.

"That's what we're here to find out." Reed said.

"If it happened to him, then it could…" Sue said, slowly.

"Wait. You mean there's a chance we can be full-on-24-7-fantastic?" Johnny asked. Merc looked at Reed.

"Grow up, Johnny." Sue said. "Do you really wanna walk around on fire for the rest of your life?"

"Is that a trick question?" Johnny asked. Merc smiled. "C'mon, am I the only one that thinks this is cool?"

"I think it's pretty cool." Merc said. Reed and Sue looked at her. "Uh…in a…it's ok for now kinda way…I think." The elevator doors slid open and they all walked out.

"I dunno Reed but I think you might be bringing your work home with you." Johnny said.

"Believe it or not, he lives here." Sue said. Merc was too busy looking around to hear anything else until she felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Reed, still standing a fair distance away, but had stretched his arm out to get her attention.

"Come on, Merc." He said. "I'll show you where all of you can stay."

"Ok." Merc said.

A while later she was sitting in Sue's room while Sue was walking around in a robe, drying her hair and putting things away.

"Why do you get the nice room?" Merc asked.

"Do you really have to ask?" Sue asked. "What's this?" Merc stood up and looked over Sue's shoulder at the scrapbook the older woman had just found. Unconsciously she kept moving her hand to cause articles of clothing to float from the suitcase and into the dresser.

"Wow…look at all of these." Merc said. Sue flipped a page and found a photo booth strip of pictures that were of herself and Reed. "Awww…I forgot how cute you two were." There was a noise behind them and Sue slammed the scrapbook shut as they both turned to see Victor standing in the doorway. He smiled. "Hi."

"Hi." Victor said. He looked at Sue. "I've been worried about you." Merc looked between them.

"Umm…I'm gonna…yeah." She said, giving Sue a quick hug then going past Victor. She stopped and looked at his back, not sure if she heard him speak or think "good girl". She walked down the hall and ran into Reed.

"Where are you off to?" Reed asked.

"I was gonna go wait for Ben." Merc said.

"Ok." Reed said.

"Victor's in there talking with Sue." Merc said.

"What?" Reed asked. Merc just shook her head and hurried past him. She went through the door leading to the stairwell and leaned over the handrail to look down the flight of stairs.

"Hey!" Merc said, spotting Ben. Her voice echoed around the stairwell a bit loudly. "Sorry."

"It's ok." Ben said, shortly joining her at the top of the stairs. "Well…now I know how many stairs there really are." Merc laughed. The lights started to flicker. "What the…" Merc shrugged and they went through the door to see Victor's back to them. "There a problem here?" Victor turned around. Reed looked around Victor to see them.

"No problem, Ben." Victor said. _No wonder that hole was so big._ Merc narrowed her eyes at him. She glanced at the table where Reed had thrown his bills. The stack started to rise into the air as she stared at it. She shook her head and they all fell back onto the table. Victor walked past them into the elevator. The doors shut behind them and Merc heard the sound of him hitting the door, although it sounded louder then it should have been.

"Merc." Ben called. Merc shook her head, not even aware of the fact that she had been staring at the elevator door. She looked at Ben to see him standing farther inside the apartment with Reed. She quickly joined then and put her arm through one of Ben's. She wanted to have him know that at least there was one person that still loved him even if Debbie didn't. The thought got her really mad as she stared at the glass beakers.

"Mercy…" Johnny said suddenly. Merc jumped, causing the beakers to shatter. She groaned.

"Oh Reed, I'm sorry." Merc said.

"That's ok…there was nothing in them anyways." Reed said.

"Really, I'm sorry. I'll clean it up." Merc said. Without even thinking she caused the trash bin to slide over to the table and the broken glass to slide into it.

"Uh…ok." Reed said.

"I think we should run some tests." Sue said. Merc looked at her. She wasn't really sure when Johnny and Sue joined them but they were there now.

"That's a good idea." Reed said. "Umm…Maybe we should start with Ben."

"Why me?" Ben asked.

_He's had the most exposure to the cloud._ Reed thought. Merc looked from him to Ben.

"He says you've had the most exposure to the cloud." She said. She looked at Reed again. "Sorry…habit."

_You can say that again._ Johnny thought. Merc smacked him. _Goddamnit! Why is it always me?_

"You're the one that's always thinking the wrong things." Merc said.

"Ok…maybe you guys can figure out how to shut hers off." Johnny said. "Because this is total invasion of privacy."

"Merc…you might want to let go of Ben so that we can do this." Sue said, softly. Merc realized she had her arm firmly locked around Ben's. She looked at his face and he just nodded. She loosened her grip and stepped away.

"Come on, Merc." Johnny said. "We can see what Reed has in the form of game systems."

"He would have a game system?" Merc asked as they left the older three.

"Probably not…but I did bring mine." Johnny said. Merc laughed and followed him to his room to get the system and then back to what would probably count as the living room to set it up and play.


	6. Tests

**Tests**

* * *

"Oh you're going down, Storm!" Merc said.

"Not if you go down first, Denver!" Johnny said.

"My threat sounds better." Merc said. She glanced at the game system and Johnny's controller unplugged.

"MERC!!" Johnny said.

"Sorry!" Merc said.

"No you're not! You did that on purpose!" Johnny said.

"I did not." Merc said. Johnny's head snapped forward as if he had been smacked in the back of the head. "I did that on purpose though."

"Johnny…we're ready to test you now." Sue said, coming up behind them.

"Shouldn't you ask if I'm ready to be tested?" Johnny asked.

"No." Merc said. She went with them even though she didn't have to. She stood with Reed and Sue as Johnny made his whole body burst into flames inside a fire-proof chamber. "Umm…maybe we should get him to stop?" The walls of the chamber were glowing red and the machines were going haywire.

"Ok Johnny, Back it down!" Reed said into the microphone.

"I can go hotter!" Came the reply.

"Johnny!" Sue yelled. "Back it down!" All three of them had to cover their eyes.

"I can go hotter!" Johnny said, again.

"Oh no you can't!" Merc said, hitting a button. Johnny's flames instantly went out as foam sprayed at him inside the chamber.

"You guys are cramping my style." Johnny said.

"You could have blinded us you nitwit!" Merc said, going down the stairs and over to where Johnny sat in the foam.

"You were at 4000 Kelvin!" Sue said. "Any hotter and you're approaching supernova."

"Sweet!" Johnny said.

"No…not sweet." Sue said.

"Why not?" Johnny asked.

"Johnny…supernova is the heat of the sun." Merc said.

"Not only could you kill yourself…but you could set fire to Earth's atmosphere and destroy all human life as we know it." Reed said.

"Oh…ok. Supernova bad." Johnny said, giving Reed and Sue the thumbs up. He looked at Merc before flicking foam off his face. "You gonna help me?"

"Are you naked?" Merc asked.

"Umm…oh…good point." Johnny said.

"Keep the foam covering the private areas and you should be good." Merc said, reaching into the chamber. Her arm brushed the side and she jumped. "DAMN!!"

"What?" Everyone asked.

"That fucking burned!" Merc said. Sue and Reed blinked, not used to actually hearing Merc swear. "God…" Johnny instantly slapped some of the foam onto her arm. "OW!!"

"Sorry…" Johnny said, standing up, covered completely in foam.

"Whatever…go get clothes on." Merc said. She looked at the burn on her arm.

"You should run that under water for a while." Sue said.

"It just stings a bit." Merc said. "It's not really bad. Besides…if I do the water thing it'll heal completely."

"Yeah…so." Sue said.

"Well if I'm gonna go back to being normal…I wanna have some sort of souvenir or something from all this." Merc said. "Just to remind me of it all. Scars are cool anyways. Sorta…"

"Ok then." Sue said. She looked at Reed. "I guess we test her now."

"Yeah but how?" Reed asked. "Hers is the only one that's not actually physical."

A few minutes later they were sitting in the lab. Merc shifted uncomfortably as Reed and Sue both looked at her. She looked at them, feeling like she was being judged. She had a weird helmet like thing on her head that reminded her of something used at a hairdressers.

"What the hell do you want me to do?" Merc asked, finally.

"Umm…ooh…look at me." Sue said. Merc looked at her. _You're telepathic so tell Reed that I think that this is the best way to test you._

"Sue says that the best way to test me is to have me read your minds." Merc said, looking at Reed.

"Oh." Reed said. "I guess that'll work." _God…I wish I could think properly around Sue. Spending so much time with her now reminds me of the…Merc are you listening to this?_

"No." Merc said, quickly.

"What are you saying no to?" Sue asked.

"Well Reed was…" Merc said. Reed stretched his hand out and covered her mouth. Merc mumbled against it then glared at Reed. _You jerk. You are so gonna get your butt kicked. Too bad you don't know what I'm…_

"I heard that!" Reed said. Merc blinked, her eyes widened. Reed removed his hand. "She can project her own thoughts into others' heads."

"So she's got the full telepathic communication package?" Sue asked.

"It appears so." Reed said.

_You two know I can hear you right?_ Merc thought, raising an eyebrow. Both Reed and Sue jumped. "Sweet! I can hit two at a time!"

"You've hanging around Johnny too much." Sue said. "Where's my clipboard?"

"Over there." Reed said, nodding over to where Sue's clipboard was sitting on a table. "I'll get…actually…Merc."

"Yeah?" Merc asked.

"Can you get Sue's clipboard?" Reed asked.

"Can I take this goofy thing off?" Merc asked, motioning to the helmet.

"No." Reed said.

"Oh…that way." Merc said. She started to turn.

"No moving." Reed said.

"Why can't she move?" Sue asked.

"Just wait." Reed said. Merc kept facing them and narrowed her eyes as she tried getting the clipboard. Reed smiling slightly. "Ok, you can turn and do it if you want."

"Thank you!" Merc said, doing a quarter turn. She looked around and spotted the clipboard. Reed watched the readings coming from the helmet while Sue watched Merc as the younger girl raised her hand and curled her fingers slightly. The clipboard floated from the table to her. Merc directed it over to Sue.

"Thanks." Sue said. "I get it now."

"Get what?" Merc asked.

"If you can't see something…then you can't move it." Reed said.

"Oh." Merc said. "So like…if I wanted a drink I can't just have it pour itself in the kitchen then come over here? I have to actually be there?"

"It appears so." Reed said.

"Awww man!" Merc said, slumping slightly.

"Your brain power has seriously increased." Reed said.

"That could be taking wrong." Merc said.

"Well…it appears that your brain's energy and power have reached the…" Reed said.

"You know…I just like knowing what I'm able to do." Merc said. "I almost failed science a few times so…I'm not gonna understand what you're about to say."

"Fair enough." Reed said. "Now…you can remove the helmet."

"THANK YOU!" Merc said, flinging the helmet off her head and jumping off. She ran away before Reed or Sue could say anything.

"Whoa, Mercy." Johnny said, grabbing her shoulders before she ran into him. "Where you off to?"

"No where…not allowed leaving, remember." Merc said. "OH SHIT!"

"What?" Johnny asked.

"Well…if I'm not allowed to leave…what the hell am I gonna do about the class?" Merc asked.

"Umm…" Johnny said. "No clue."

_You're useless sometimes you know that?_ Merc thought.

"Did you just…?" Johnny asked. Merc smirked and nodded. "You can do that too?"

"Yep." Merc said.

"Oh no." Johnny said. "Come on! That's not fair!"

"Too bad." Merc said.

"Too bad? Too bad?" Johnny asked. "No, no, no, no, no! I'm the one that says that."

"Sucks to be you, boo-boo." Merc said. Johnny glared at her. Merc jumped and yelped as Johnny suddenly had flames over his torso.

"Whoa!" Johnny said. "That's it." He went in the direction Merc had come from. Merc followed him. "Hey!" Reed and Sue looked at him. "I think we have a serious problem." Merc just giggled from behind him.


	7. Stuck Indoors

**Stuck Indoors**

Now for the fun part. Ha, ha.

* * *

Merc was, once again, running her hands down the sides of her blue uniform from the space ship.

"Our uniforms were exposed to the storm like us." Reed explained. Merc looked at everyone else. Johnny was doing the same as her. "So they can transform like us, becoming invisible, changing size on demand, remaining impervious to flame, or not changing at all." Merc smiled slightly but it dropped as she looked at Ben.

"You look like an eighties rock band." Ben said. Merc smiled again.

"You know Ben, these suits stretch. I'm sure I could…" Sue started.

"I wouldn't be caught dead in that." Ben said.

"I love these costumes, man." Johnny said, striking a few poses. Merc giggled until she got looks from the others. "But their missing something, right? I can't put my finger on it…"

"Their not costumes." Reed said.

"Not yet." Merc muttered.

"We're not taking them out." Sue said. "Johnny, we need to stay here till we've stabilized."

"You guys are worse then NASA." Johnny said, walking away.

"Maybe it's missing a utility belt." Ben said. Merc went after Johnny. She noticed his bedroom door closed and went there, not even bothering to knock.

"Hey, Johnny. You know their right about all this…" Merc started but stopped as she entered the room to find standing only in his boxers. "Well that answers that question."

"What question?" Johnny asked, not even embarrassed.

"Whether you boxers or briefs." Merc said, smiling. She closed the door and went to her own room. "Wait a second…was I just flirting with him again?" She hit herself in the head lightly. "No, no, no. Bad, Mercy. Bad."

"Let's make this quick, I've got a lot to do today." Johnny said, coming into the kitchen the next day where everyone else was sitting. He grabbed the bowl of orange juice that Ben had in his hands. "Oh wait, that's right. I don't go anywhere."

"Well this might make you feel better." Merc said, handing over one of the magazine's that Reed had delivered to the building. "Apparently one of your one-night-stands did an interview about you." Johnny looked at the magazine before throwing it back onto the table and pouring some of the juice into a glass.

"Merc…who's Jake?" Reed asked.

"One of my…students." Merc said. "Why?"

"Well he's in here." Reed said. Merc grabbed the magazine from him and read the article.

"Oh that jack ass is so getting his ass kicked." She said, standing up. "I never dated him…who does he think he is?" She headed for the door out of the kitchen.

"You can't go anywhere, Merc!" Sue said. "Especially when all you have to do is flick your wrist and send people flying." Merc sighed and turned around, resuming her seat. Johnny patted her shoulder.

"I'm concerned our powers may be evolving." Reed said.

"I know!" Johnny said. "I'm so close to flying, guys. I can feel it." He threw his napkin onto the counter and set it on fire by accident.

"You can't fly." Sue said.

"Yet." Johnny said.

"Johnny, could you put that napkin out." Sue said. Johnny turned around and began to frantically pat at the napkin, only managing to spread the fire. "Mercy…"

"I'm on it." Merc said, making the tap turn on and the water shooting at the fire.

"Thanks." Johnny said, sarcastically. He turned around and everyone saw that his shirt was soaked.

"Sorry…" Merc said, trying not to laugh.

"So come on, Reed. How you gonna cure us?" Ben asked.

"I'm going to build a machine that will replicate the storm." Reed said, holding up a diagram. "The power will pass from this generator to this chamber."

"What, no pop-ups?" Johnny asked.

"If we can reverse the wave signal created by the storm…" Reed said, ignoring Johnny.

"Then it can turn us back to normal." Ben finished for him.

"Exactly." Reed said.

"But…" Merc said, not even needing to read Reed's thoughts to know that there was something else.

"Even the slightest miscalculation could increase our powers expediently…or even kill us." Reed said.

"Dying…not that's bad." Johnny said. "I think we should just let sleeping dogs lay, guys." Everyone looked at Merc. She had been in the middle between Johnny and everyone else the whole time.

"Maybe…using the machine can be…voluntary?" Merc suggested.

"I guess so." Reed said.

"So how long until this contraption of yours is ready, Reed?" Ben asked.

"It's hard to…" Reed started.

"How long, Reed?" Ben asked.

"I don't know." Reed said.

"Relax, Uncle Ben." Merc said. "When has Reed ever let you down…and not gotten you back up again?" Reed and Ben both looked at her and she just shrugged.

Later she sat on the couch switching channels while Johnny was searching through the kitchen for stuff.

"Hey, Johnny, check it out." Merc said. "The X-Games are on." Johnny came over with a glass in one hand and jiffy pop, actually popping, as it sat on his other hand. He handed the drink to Merc and she took it. She took a few sips, watching the stunts, and then put it on the table. Johnny popped over the tin foil cover and offered the popcorn to Merc while eating some himself.

"Geez…" He said.

"I know…look at those guys." Merc said. "You gotta wonder about how much they weight though." Johnny laughed slightly. Merc looked at him.

"God, I gotta get out of here." Johnny said, putting the popcorn down and getting up.

"Wait, what?" Merc asked. She followed him to his room. "Johnny you can't…you wouldn't…"

"I can and I will." Johnny said. He stopped at the closet and looked at the uniforms.

"Johnny…" Merc said.

"Come with me, Merc." Johnny said, pulling out his uniform and hers as well before handing it to her. He went to his uniform and looked at it.

"What?" Merc asked.

"You heard me. Come with me." Johnny said. "Cheer me on as I show those X-Game boys a thing or two."

"Johnny…" Merc said, smiling slightly. "I can't. Sue's right. I raise my hand and I can knock people backwards."

"Just be careful." Johnny said.

"Remember my little telepathy thing?" Merc asked. "Too many people…major headache."

"I thought you were getting over that." Johnny said, starting to take his clothes off. Merc instantly made the blanket lift up to hide him. She looked at the uniform in her hands before smiling slightly.

"I can't, Johnny." Merc said. "Do you know how much trouble I'd get into with my Uncle?"

"Right." Johnny said, coming out from behind the blanket in the uniform.

"What's that?" Merc asked. She walked over to him and looked at the little badge type thing on his Uniform.

"Oh…I thought it could be our little symbol." Johnny said. "Actually, Reed thought of it."

"Reed? Are you serious?" Merc asked.

"Well it's on yours too." Johnny said, turning the uniform over in her hands so that Merc could see the front of it. Merc laughed. "Ok…how about this…you stay here and be my cover."

"I don't know…" Merc said.

"Please, Mercy. Mercy, please." Johnny said. Merc laughed again

"Oh fine." She said. "Just don't be gone too long and don't blame me if they find out."

"You're the best." Johnny said, pulling on another pair of pants and a shirt. He gave Merc a quick kiss then left. Merc stood frozen for a second before returning to the living room to watch the games again and finish off the popcorn. It wasn't very long until Johnny showed up.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have a special guest for you…" The announcer said. "Mr. Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Five." Merc smiled and clapped her hands together once. Johnny came out on a bike wearing a Motocross outfit. The crowd on the TV cheered and Merc sat forward as she watched Johnny do a flip.

"Go you." She muttered.

"Look at that lift." The announcer said. "But Johnny, that's old school. Show us something new." The camera was on Johnny and Merc blinked as she saw steam rise off him. He took off fast and shot up a ramp. He actually let go of the bike to do a stunt.

"Oh no." Merc said. She watched as Johnny grabbed for his bike but couldn't reach and soon there were flames on him. "Johnny! Wait a second…"

"Is he flying?" The announcer said as Johnny rose into the air a bit before coming crashing down on the opposite ramp.

"Oh…that must have hurt." Merc said.

"What must have hurt?" Ben asked.

"Nothing." Merc said, jumping up and going over the table to cover the TV.

"Mercy." Ben said, somewhat threatening. "What are watching? I heard you yell Johnny's name."

"It's nothing, Uncle Ben." Merc said.

"Mercedes…move." Ben said. Reluctantly Merc moved away from the TV. "NO FREAKIN' WAY!!"

"Ben! What? What's going on?" Reed asked as he and Sue came running in.

"What's going on? That's what's going on!" Ben said, pointing at the TV.

"So what can you tell us about these outfits?" The TV reporter asked. Johnny was standing next to her with a girl on each arm. Merc felt jealous for some reason.

"It's kind of Armani meets Astronaut." Johnny said.

"He didn't." Sue said.

"Oh, he did." Ben said.

"What did he do to his uniform?" Sue asked. Merc looked at Reed who peeled back his labcoat to show that he had the same badge as Johnny: a circle around the number "5". Sheepishly, he covered it up again and Merc just smiled as she looked back at the TV.

"So what are your superhero names?" The reporter asked.

"Oh no." Merc said.

"Well I'm the Human Torch." Johnny said. "Ladies call me Torch." Merc rolled her eyes.

"What about the rest of the team?" The reporter asked. The TV showed a picture of Sue.

"That's the Invisible Girl." Johnny said, as the camera returned to him.

"Girl?" Sue said.

"What about the other girl on the team?" The reporter asked. A picture of Merc yanking on Johnny's hand came onto the screen.

"That's…uh…that's Mystic." Johnny said. Merc blinked. "Yeah you gotta be careful around her…she'll read your mind without even thinking it…really."

"Oh that little…" Merc said.

"And what about Reed Richards?" The reporter asked. "I hear you call him Mr. Fantastic. Can he really stretch any part of his anatomy?"

"Well I've always found him a little limp in that area." Johnny said. A picture of Ben filled the screen.

"What do you call that thing?" The reporter asked.

"That's it. The Thing." Johnny said.

"Ok, I'm gonna kill him." Ben said. He started walking, Reed and Sue following. He turned and looked at Merc who was still looking at the TV. "Merc…you're coming too."

"But I…" Merc said.

"Now!" Ben said. Merc sighed and followed them.

"There he is!" Sue said, once they got there. Johnny was surrounded by girls. Ben peeled off from them and Merc stayed with Sue and Reed. "Johnny!"

"Hey…can we talk about this later, guys?" Johnny asked. "Where's my ride?" At that moment a ball of red metal came flying over and landed in front of them. Merc jumped. It wobbled a bit and then beeped as if the alarm was just being set. Johnny got hit in the head with a license plate.

"You're gonna pay for that, Pebbles." Johnny said. Merc looked at Ben as he stood looking proud of what he just did. "What?"

"You gave us names?" Sue asked. "You don't think, Johnny. And now you're the 'face' of the Fantastic Five?"

"A face that's about to be broken." Ben said, marching over with his hands balled into fists.

"This isn't permanent, Johnny." Reed said. "We need to be careful until we're normal again."

"What if some of us don't want to be 'normal' again?" Johnny asked, looking pointedly at Merc. She looked to be in slight pain but he guessed it was from the headache that was starting. "We didn't all turn into monsters." Ben pulled his fist back, about to hit Johnny. He stopped and turned around.

"Johnny…" Merc said, warningly. He ignored her and threw a fireball at Ben. Merc flinched. Ben turned around.

"Did you just…" He said. Another fireball hit him in the face. "That's it, Tinkerbelle! You wanna fly?" He charged back over to them. "Fly!" Reed moved in front of Johnny and Ben's fist stretched his body, still managing to hit Johnny.

"Uncle Ben!" Merc shouted. Johnny hit an advertisement board for Burger King. He got off it, leaving flames on it. He jumped down from the board and headed back over to them.

"Let's see if you can get blood from a stone." Johnny said. He and Ben headed towards each other but Sue and Merc stepped in between. Merc held her hands up to Johnny, stopping him instantly while Sue made a small force field to stop Ben.

"You two need a time-out." Sue said.

"Blockhead started it!" Johnny said. Ben stalked off.

"I don't care!" Sue said. "Damn it, Johnny." She went after Ben.

"What?" Johnny asked, looking at Merc.

"Don't yell…god my head is hurting enough as it is." Merc said. Johnny went around her and kicked the remains of his car.

"You need to control yourself and think before you act." Reed said.

"That's your problem Reed." Johnny said. "You're always thinking, you never act."

"Well around you someone has to be the thinker." Merc said.

"What does that mean?" Johnny asked.

"He's right. You don't think." Merc said. "I know this because I've been your best friend for years now."

"What if we got these gifts for a reason?" Johnny asked. "What if it's like…some higher calling?"

"A higher calling like getting girls and making money?" Reed asked, sarcastically.

"Is there any higher?" Johnny asked. "This is who we are Reed. Accept it. Or better yet: enjoy it." He looked at Merc. "And don't you act all high and mighty. You think this is cool too. I don't need to be able to read your mind."

"Yes…I like the powers and I want to keep them so long as I can control them." Merc said. "But I don't like the attention." Her head snapped in the direction of the crowd. "Or the constant headaches from hearing all of their thoughts. Or from hearing those girls thinking about the fastest way to get fame by sleeping with you." A bunch of girls went red. Merc went over to Johnny. "You have to be more sensitive."

"I'm sensitive enough." Johnny said.

"You don't think about other peoples' feelings, Johnny." Merc said. "Sure…you may consider mine a few times but back there…giving me a name and saying what you said…that wasn't thinking."

"Come on, Merc. You know me…" Johnny said.

"No I don't." Merc said. "Not anymore." She started walking away. "You're not the same anymore, Johnny." Reed, who was still there and watching the whole thing, gave Johnny a look before going after Merc.


	8. All Things Change

**All Things Change**

* * *

Merc felt really alone. Johnny hadn't returned yet and she was feeling bad for what she said even if she knew it was true. Sue had taken Reed out because she had gotten worried about the way he was acting. So now Merc was alone in the biggest apartment she had ever seen and all she could do was sit in the lab and stare at the machine, wondering what was going to happen.

The door to the stairwell opened and Ben walked in. Merc tore her eyes from the machine and looked at him.

"Merc? Are you ok?" Ben asked. She wasn't even aware of the fact that she was crying until then. "What did Johnny do?"

"It's not what he did." Merc said. "It's what I did."

"Where is everyone?" Ben asked.

"I don't know." Merc said, brushing tears off her face. Ben sat in front of her on the steps leading into the machine. "I think I might have, friendship wise, broken up with Johnny." Ben stared at her. "It was the only thing I could think of ok."

"What happened?" Ben asked.

"After you left, Reed said some things to him and then I told him that he had to be more sensitive." Merc said, rubbing her eyes. "I told him that he basically wasn't even acting like a friend anymore. Then I just left." She stood up then sat next to Ben, putting her head on his shoulder. He reached over and patted hers lightly. "I really don't wanna lose him, Uncle Ben." Ben looked at her, realization dawning on his face.

"Mercy, do you…" He started but stopped as the elevator doors open and Reed and Sue came in, laughing quietly. Merc lifted her head as they were spotted and silence filled the room. "Yeah, I have that effect on people."

"Ben…" Reed said.

"Oh, you remember my name do you?" Ben asked. Merc sat up straight as Ben stood up. "You also remember what you swore to do with every breath in your body?"

"We're working as hard as we can…" Reed said.

"Yeah. I can tell." Ben said, motioning to Reed and Sue together. _Victor was right._

"Uncle Ben?" Merc said, uncertainly as she stood up and joined them all.

"Ben, I don't know if this thing will change us back or make us worse." Reed said. "I need you to be patient for a little while longer…"

"Look at me, Reed." Ben said. "Look at me!" Merc wiped fresh tears off her face. Sue stood next to her and put her arm over the younger girl's shoulders. Both of them were basically forgetting.

"I am looking!" Reed said. "That's why I can't make any mistakes! I've got to get it right and it's not right yet! We need to test this."

"I spent my whole life protecting you, and for what?" Ben asked. "So you could play Twister with your girlfriend while I'm the freak of the week?"

"Uncle Ben, stop!" Merc said.

"Stay out of this, Mercy." Ben said. Reed jumped on Ben's back and started wrapping around him. Merc and Sue watched as Reed kept wrapping himself around Ben until the he was immobile.

"Good thing you're flexible enough to watch your own back." Ben said. "Because I ain't doing it anymore." Reed released Ben and Merc watched her Uncle stomp off. Merc went after him. She ran as fast as she could down the stairs but then thought of something and jumped over the banister, hoping to be right. She fell, keeping her eyes on her body as she did and managed to slow herself down enough so that when she got to the bottom she didn't break anything, just fell over.

"It's clobberin' time!" Merc was out just in time to see Ben shove Johnny into the wall and smash something next to his head.

"Ah man! That was the prototype!" Johnny whined. Ben stalked off, going right past Merc and either not seeing her or ignoring her.

"Johnny." Merc said, walking over to him.

"What…oh." Johnny said. They stared at each other until Sue showed up.

"Johnny, did you see Ben?" She asked.

"Yeah, Sunshine left a few minutes ago." Johnny said. "Look, Sue, I'm done with this freak show. I gotta get back to the real world."

"You're calling that 'real'?" Sue asked, motioning out the door.

"At least it beats living in a lab like somebody's science project." Johnny said. He started leaving. Merc looked at the ground at the remains of the action figure.

"Johnny, slow down." Sue said. "Think. You know mom didn't raise us to…"

"Look around, sis!" Johnny said, turning around and walking backwards. "She's not here. So stop talking to me like I'm a little boy."

"Maybe if you stopped acting like one, I would." Sue said. "You think those people out there care about you? You're just a fad to them, Johnny."

"Let's try something new: You live your life." Johnny said. "And I'll live mine." He stopped for a second. "Oh and just for the record: they love me!" He turned and left.

"Sue." Merc said, suddenly. Sue looked at her. "Go back to Reed. I'll take care of Johnny."

"You sure?" Sue asked.

"Yeah." Merc said. Sue watched her as the younger girl left.

"Do you…" She started but Merc was already out the door. "Love Johnny?" With the shake of her head, Sue headed back to the elevator.

"Johnny!" Merc shouted, ignoring the headache from the people and the flashing of the cameras. "Goddamnit! Where did he go?" She flinched as she heard no less the fifty voices all going off in her head.

_God, Mercy. You idiot._ Johnny thought. Merc looked up as he grabbed her arm and led her away from the crowd. They walked for a while in silence. "So what were you thinking coming out here like that? I saw what crowds do to you."

"Look, Johnny I'm sorry for what I said…" Merc said.

"No you're not." Johnny said. He let go of her arm and started walking again.

"Johnny!" Merc said, going after him. "Look I know you…you won't…"

"I thought you didn't know me anymore." Johnny said, coldly. Merc stopped and narrowed her eyes. Johnny suddenly seemed to walk into a wall. He tried a few more times before turning around. "What did you do that for?"

"Will you just listen to me?" Merc asked.

"I listened enough, Mercedes." Johnny said. Merc closed her eyes. Johnny didn't move as he watched her.

_If I start crying over you one more time today…_ Merc thought, opening her eyes and looking directly into Johnny's.

_You'll what? Wait a minute. You've already?_ Johnny thought.

_Yeah. Do you know I spent about three hours alone in that god forsaken lab crying over everything that happened today?_ Merc thought.

_Why were you alone?_ Johnny thought.

_Oh gee…I don't know._ Merc thought, sarcastically._ Maybe because you never came back. Maybe because Ben didn't either. Maybe because Sue took Reed out for a break._

"But why though?" Johnny asked, vocally. "Why would you be crying?"

"I don't know." Merc said. "You and I have been friends for so long…" A few tears ran down her cheeks, again. Johnny stepped closer to her. "And…to have all that stuff happen. And now this…I'm just not feeling all that sure about where we stand anymore."

"You're treating this like a break up." Johnny said, smiling slightly.

"Well it sorta is…friendship wise anyways." Merc said. Johnny reached out and brushed the tears off her cheek.

_God…even now she's beautiful. You'd think with the red eyes she would probably just be cute but no..._ He thought. Merc looked at him. Johnny's hand remained on her cheek.

"I really…really don't want to lose you, Johnny." Merc said.

_Why do I wanna kiss her so badly? What is…wait a second…Merc can you hear this?_ Johnny thought. Merc smiled slightly and nodded.

"Yep." She said.

"Oh…well then." Johnny said, smiling. He started leaning down as if to kiss her but stopped as a wave of light spread through the sky. He leaned back and looked at Merc before both of them looked up. It didn't take them long to realize that it was coming from the Baxter Building.

"Ben." Merc said, quietly. Johnny looked at her again before she took off running. He was right behind her. "Oh…by the way. You're not the only one that can fly."

"Oh so you believe me then?" Johnny asked.

"Sure." Merc said.

"Wait a minute…you can fly?" Johnny asked.

"I think I can just hover slightly…I jumped down the stairs from like the twelfth floor and only wound up falling over once I hit the ground." Merc said. Johnny laughed slightly. They ran past the crowd outside the building, ignored the broken glass, and ran into the elevator. Merc tapped her foot impatiently.

"You know you could always do something." Johnny said.

"Like what? Oh…" Merc said. She looked at the floor of the elevator and slowly lifted her hands. Johnny looked at the numbers as they lit up faster. He looked at Merc who was starting to have trouble balancing.

"You can…" Johnny started but before he finished Merc collapsed. He grabbed her and lifted her up.

"Whoa…not doing that anymore." Merc said.

"You did good though." Johnny said. The doors opened and he ran out. "Sue!"

"Johnny!" Sue shouted. "The machine worked. Oh god is she ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Merc said. Johnny put her on her feet and she sat down quickly.

"Help me with Ben." Sue said. Johnny nodded and ran over next to her.

"Jesus, Ben." He said. "I go away and look what happens. You got a lot of explaining to do." He helped Sue move Ben over to Merc.

"The machine works." Ben said. "Vic's gone Mister Hyde on us…"

"Really?" Johnny asked. "With a name like Von Doom? Never saw that one coming."

"Cut the sarcasm." Merc said.

"Where's Reed?" Sue asked.

"Victor must've taken him." Ben said.

"Look." Johnny said, pointing at a hole in the window. Merc stood up and followed him and Sue over to it and out onto the balcony. Johnny looked over the edge of the balcony.

"Missile…big, fiery missile." Merc said.

"Heat seeking." Johnny said, backing towards them.

"It's locked on you." Merc said. Johnny looked at her. "Oh no…no, no, no. Johnny don't."

"Don't worry, Mercy." Johnny said.

"But…" Merc said. Johnny grabbed her head and kissed her quickly.

"Wish me luck." He said.

"Don't even think about it." Sue said.

"Never do." Johnny said. He ran then dived over the edge of the balcony.

"JOHNNY!" Both girls yelled. They ran to the edge and watched as the missile turned sharply and followed Johnny down.

"FLAME ON!" They heard. Next second Johnny was completely on fire and flying away from them.

"Come on." Sue said. She and Merc went back inside to Ben.

"We need to help Reed…" Ben said.

"You need to stay here." Sue said. "You can't help now."

"Sue…" Merc said.

"Mercy, stay here too." Sue said. "Victor's probably trying to knock us all off. He makes Ben normal, he sends a heat seeking missile after Johnny…"

"Be careful." Merc said.

"You too." Sue said. She left. Merc looked at Ben.

"What have I done?" Ben muttered.

"You got what you wanted." Merc said. "Uncle Ben. What are we gonna do?" Ben looked at her. Merc looked at him.

"I gotta go through the machine again." Ben said.

"What? It could kill you." Merc said.

"I don't think so." Ben said. "Come on." Merc followed him down the hall to the closet where the uniforms were. He threw Merc's at her and grabbed the pants that Sue had altered for him. "Get changed, quick. Meet me back down at the machine."

"But…" Merc said.

"Just do it!" Ben said. Merc nodded and went into the first available room. She got out of her own clothes and put the uniform on yet again. She ran back to the machine where Ben was already standing, holding the pants up at the waist. "Just push that button there once I'm inside."

"Are you sure about this?" Merc asked.

"Never been more sure, sweetheart." Ben said. Merc threw her arms around him. "Hope you got used to doing that to a big rock."

"I love you no matter what, Uncle Ben." Merc said. Ben walked into the machine and Merc pushed the button. She closed and covered her eyes as the light was blinding. Once the light died down she opened her eyes to see Ben, all orange and rocky once more.

"Any words of encouragement?" Ben asked.

"Kick some Von Doom ass." Merc said, smiling. Ben smiled back. She started to follow him as he left.

"No, you stay here." Ben said.

"But…" Merc said.

"Look Mercy…there are tons of people out there, most of them constantly thinking." Ben said. "There's not a whole lot you can do if you get a migraine." Merc watched him leave before running to the window and staring out at the water of the river. There was a big fire.

"Found you." Merc said, running to the stairs and going down. There was no way she getting dressed in this outfit just to miss out on all the fun.


	9. Time for the Big Finale

**Time for the Big Finale**

This is not the last chapter. This story is gonna go past the end of the movie.

* * *

Johnny crawled out of the water and flopped down on his back. He looked over at the flaming trash barge and smiled slightly. 

"Damn I wish Merc was here to see that." Johnny muttered. "Probably would have made her laugh."

"I'd say so." Merc said suddenly. Johnny jumped and sat up, turning around.

"How…what…how?" He asked.

"It's easy to get down here fast when you steal Reed's car." Merc said. Johnny stood up and walked over to her. "Of course I'm very glad I didn't pass any cops. But Reed has got to learn to put gas…" Johnny grabbed her, pulled her against him and kissed her. Merc froze then relaxed.

"Don't wanna miss the big fight now do we?" Johnny asked, pulling away.

"I'm pretty sure there's enough gas left in the car to get back there." Merc said. "Race ya." She ran to the car and got in. Johnny stared until the car was out of sight before flaming on and flying after her.

Merc was passed by cop cars so she followed them. She pulled over and stopped, knowing where to go from there. She stuffed the keys down the front of her uniform and ran, following the sirens.

"You three are pathetic." Doom said. Merc glared once she saw him…with a pole in his hand. She flicked her wrist, causing the pole to fly out of his grasp and slam into a car. "Well, well, well…little miss telepath." Merc winced as she was hit by the thoughts of the crowd. "What's wrong. Crowd got your tongue?" He started towards her but two fireballs hit Doom and Johnny flew in, landing next to Merc.

"Don't touch her." He said. They joined Ben, Reed and Sue. "Had a little relapse, huh?" He glanced at Ben and smiled. "Welcome back."

"This…is going to be fun." Doom said. He lifted his arms and electricity coursed through his body. A car went flying towards the crowd and Sue used a force field to knock it away from them.

"We need a plan." Merc shouted, watching Sue block the energy bolts. "A smart one."

"I can't hold it." Sue yelled. Reed stretched his arm, wrapped it around a mail box and threw it at Doom. The mailbox hit him, causing Doom to stop shooting bolts. Merc threw out her hands as he started to move and managed to immobilize all but his head. He turned it to look at her.

"You think this can hold me?" Doom said.

"Someone do something soon." Merc shouted.

"Johnny. SUPERNOVA!!" Reed said.

"I thought we agreed that was bad!" Johnny said.

"Now!" Reed said. Johnny ran forward and flew into the sky. Merc struggled to keep standing and keep her hold on Doom. Her eyes were locked on his and couldn't look away. Johnny swooped down and started circling around Doom, creating a huge wall of fire. "Sue, think you can contain it?" Sue nodded and created a giant force field to surround Johnny's Supernova.

_A little heat won't do anything._ Doom thought.

"Merc! Let go!" Ben shouted.

"I'm trying!" Merc shouted. Johnny flew out and knocked into her, breaking Merc's concentration and knocking her over. They rolled around on the ground before winding up lying next to each other. Sue's force field faded and she collapsed, blood trickling from her nose.

"Is that the best you can do?" Doom asked. His body was dripping metal like sweat. Merc propped herself up on her elbows, surprised to be able to still see things because of the fact that she was staring at Doom the entire time he was surrounded by the fire. "A little heat?"

"Time for your lesson." Reed said. "Chem 101: what happens when you supercool hot metal?" Ben kicked open a fire hydrant and put his foot down on the geyser of water, deflecting it towards Reed who twisted his torso.

"He's a hose now." Merc muttered. Johnny laughed slightly next to her. There were clouds and clouds of steam. Ben closed the hydrant and the steam slowly cleared. Merc and Johnny stood up to see Doom frozen. They joined Reed, Sue and Ben.

"Damn, I love this job." Johnny said.

"Job, huh?" Ben asked.

"Well ya know…" Merc said, looking down at her body then over at Reed who smiled.

"We do have the suits." Reed said. Merc laughed and went over to Ben before throwing her arms around him, hugging him as tightly as possible without hurting herself.

"How you doing, kid?" Ben asked.

"I'm good." Merc said. "Tired but I think feeling this way weakens the effect of all the people thinking." Ben smiled. He made a coughing noise and nodded over her shoulder. Merc let go of him and turned around to see Johnny.

"Go ahead." Ben said. Merc smiled and walked over to Johnny.

"So…" Johnny said.

"So?" Merc asked.

_I so want to kiss you again._ Johnny thought. Merc giggled before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him first.

She went to the studio the next day after calling a few of the girls and finding out that there was going to be a thank you party. She took the whole day to get a few things set down and returned to the Baxter Building after the other four had left. She had left Johnny a note telling him that she needed to do some thinking about her powers.

"Well…" Merc said, knowing she only had a few minutes. She stood in front of the machine and looked at it.

Later, as the sun was going down and everyone was on a ship, Merc and the girls she was with the whole day finished up the dance they had been practicing and just showed off to everyone. The crowd cheered and Merc smiled before joining her girls in bowing. She avoided Johnny and went over to where Ben and Reed were talking.

"I've been crunching the numbers on the machine." Reed said. "I think if we can rework the power settings…"

"Forget it, egghead." Ben said. "I'm good as is." Merc smiled at him and hugged him.

"Better then good, Benny." Alicia said, coming over with Sue and standing on the other side of Ben. Ben clinked his mug against her glass, causing the glass to shatter. "We've just going to have to work on your touch."

"Have fun you guys." Merc said, noticing Johnny looking at her. She patted Ben's shoulder and walked through the crowd over to him. "Hey." She pushed some hair behind her ear.

"Hey." Johnny said, noticing the slight distance she put between them. "So…umm…what did you decide to do?"

"About what?" Merc asked.

"Well you said you had some thinking to do about your powers." Johnny said. Merc nodded. "So what did you decide?"

_What do you think?_ Merc thought. Johnny was caught by surprise as Merc raised her hand, curled her fingers in and caused him to slide forward, getting rid of the space between them.

"I thought…" Johnny said.

"Think again." Merc said, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him to her before kissing him. "Come on." She let go of his shirt and took his hand before pulling him over to Ben and Alicia. They watched as Reed proposed and then Sue kissed him.

"Awww…she's kissing him." Ben said, more for Alicia's sake then anything else. The crowd all clapped and Merc flinched as loud thoughts swept through her head. "Hey…" she looked at Ben who was leaning towards Johnny. "No more cracks about the way I look."

"Call me Mr. Sensitivity." Johnny said, patting Ben's shoulder. _Oh this is gonna be good._

"Oh, no…Johnny." Merc started but he was already clearing a path through the crowd.

"Alright, clear the way!" Johnny said. "Wide load coming through. He's huge!"

"Why you little…" Ben said, stomping after him. Merc put her arm around Alicia's shoulders and followed after them. Johnny burst into flames and took off into the air just before Ben reached him. "Show off!"

"Oh lighten up." Merc said. Ben put an arm around Alicia and one around Merc. They watched as Johnny made a number '5' surrounded by a circle of flame.

"Listen Mercy….just because you two are dating now…doesn't mean I'm gonna be nice." Ben said.

"We're not…" Merc started but then she looked at all the people around her giving her a 'yeah right' look. She looked back up at the sky and watched Johnny flying around. "He's not gonna come back down until he thinks it's….relatively safe."

"Ok, shows over, back inside." Alicia said. Ben released Merc and turned around, going back into the main part of the ship. Everyone else followed until Merc was alone.

"I think I should give that Alicia some flowers." Johnny said, flying down and landing next to Merc. "She can keep Ben off my back."

"And what about me?" Merc asked.

"You get these." Johnny said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. Merc smiled against his mouth. After a while they pulled apart. "So…first order of business."

"Business?" Merc asked. Johnny put his arm over her shoulders and Merc reached up to hold his hand as they walked inside and over to their teammates-slash-family members.

"What's up?" Sue asked.

"Apparently there's business to talk about." Merc said, looking at Johnny.

"Well…we already got our team name, plus superhero names…" Johnny said.

"Johnny…don't push it." Merc said, tightening her grip on his hand.

"And uniforms." Johnny continued.

"We need more?" Ben asked.

"Yeah." Johnny said.

"Oh? I suggest you think we need a car? Maybe something that flies?" Merc asked.

"Did you read my mind?" Johnny asked.

"No I…wait…you were actually thinking that?" Merc asked. Johnny nodded, smiling. "Oh dear lord." She turned so that she could bury her face in Johnny's shoulder so that no one could see her smiling.

"What? It would be cool." Johnny said. "Of course, you know, I wouldn't need to be in it but the rest of you guys…OW!!" Merc had dug her nails into Johnny's hand. "Hey missy. Keep that up and no more kissing."

"Oh however will I survive?" Merc said, sarcastically. Ben cleared his throat. "Sorry Uncle Ben."

"Well…I have been working on something." Reed said. Everyone looked at him. "It was just some idea I had that I knew probably wouldn't happen but since it looks like we're all staying this way."

"Alright!" Johnny said. He looked down. "I feel kinda weird being the only one in their uniform right now."

"Sucks to be you." Merc said. Johnny looked at her and was about to kiss her but Merc turned her head. "I thought you said no more kissing."

"Only if you kept up hurting me." Johnny said. Merc pinched him. "Hey!"

"I'm telling you…it doesn't bother me not kissing you." Merc said. "I've gone longer without kissing someone then you have."

"Why must you do that around me?" Ben muttered. Merc giggled and got out from under Johnny's arm before hugging Ben. "Well aren't we affectionate."

"I told you that I loved you no matter what." Merc said. She looked at Johnny. "You on the other hand…not so sure of."

"Yeah well…wait a minute…are you saying you love me?" Johnny asked. Merc clamped her mouth shut. "Come on, Mercy. Say it…say you love me." She moved her head slightly and Johnny's head snapped forward. "DAMN IT!! Quit doing that!"

"It's amusing." Ben said, smiling.

"Exactly." Merc said. _Besides…I can make it up to you later._

_Is that a promise?_ Johnny thought.

_Maybe._ Merc thought.

_How about you just think it._ Johnny thought.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Merc said. "Give it a rest!"

"But I wanna hear it." Johnny said.

"At the rate you're going, you're never gonna hear it." Merc said. Johnny pouted. "That doesn't work on me, baby. Sorry." Sue and Reed laughed.

"Am I gonna have to have a talk with him?" Ben asked, looking from Johnny to Merc. Merc joined Sue and Reed in laughing while Johnny just looked confused.


	10. Alls Good

**Alls Good? Think Again**

Here's the next chapter. It would have been up last week but I didn't have a computer because the stupid thing broke and what I had made for this chapter got wiped.

* * *

"Johnny…" Merc warned.

"I just wanna see if it'll work." Johnny said.

"Don't you dare." Merc said.

"Oh come on? What could happen?" Johnny asked.

"It could explode!" Merc said. "Cell phones and fire do not mix." She held out her hand. "Give me it."

"No." Johnny said.

"Johnny Storm give me your damn phone." Merc said.

"What if it would work?" Johnny asked.

"Trust me…it won't." Merc said. She flicked her fingers and Johnny's cell phone zoomed into her hand. "You are sooo NOT using fire to try and recharge your battery. Maybe Doom could have done it if he wasn't a whacko but not you." She dropped the phone into her purse. "So you miss a few fan calls, big deal."

"Oh come on, Mercy." Johnny said, wrapping his arms around her and putting his forehead against hers. "You know I don't like them no mores." Merc smiled and rolled her eyes. "You should know…what with you reading my mind all the time." She hit him and leaned back to look at him slightly.

"I do it for your own good, baby." Merc said. "Come on, we're gonna be late."

"Do we have to go?" Johnny asked. "You and that skirt…"

"Mind out of your pants." Merc said. "If you behave…"

"Then do I get a treat?" Johnny asked.

_We'll see._ Merc thought. Johnny groaned and dropped his forehead onto her shoulder. Merc tilted her head to the opposite side.

"You're gonna drive me insane." Johnny said.

"I haven't already?" Merc asked. Johnny laughed.

"You know what I mean, babe." He said, lifting his head. They started walking with one of his arms still around her waist.

"Honestly…I think Sue was right." Merc said. "I never should have slept with you so quickly."

"After all that excitement how could you not?" Johnny asked, smiling mischievously. Merc couldn't help but smile. Sure enough, once they got back to the Baxter after the party the previous week, Merc was still so full of energy that she had actually dragged Johnny away from the others and they wound up in her room. He'd been sleeping in her room every night ever since.

"It wasn't completely my fault." Merc said. "You and your horn ball thoughts. I'm just glad no one…" Johnny pulled her up against him and kissed her right there in the middle of the sidewalk. Merc moaned and wrapped her arms around Johnny's neck.

"So this is what's been taking you guys so long." They pulled apart and looked at Sue and Reed, standing in the doorway of the building next to them.

"No…we've been taking a long time because someone wanted to see if he could use his powers to recharge his cell phone." Merc said, looking at Johnny.

"Ok so I was being stupid…sue me." Johnny said.

"If I was given a dollar for every time I've stopped you from doing something stupid over the years…I'd be a fucking millionaire." Merc said.

"It has not been that many times." Johnny said.

"Well it's in the thousands." Merc said.

"Alright!" Sue said. "Gee…sometimes it's a wonder how you two are together."

"We have a few more good times then we do bad times." Merc and Johnny said together.

"Quit it!" Johnny said.

"What?" Merc asked, innocently.

"Reading my mind and saying what I'm gonna say…as I'm saying it." Johnny said.

"Make me, hot shot." Merc said. She moved away from him and followed Reed and Sue into the building. Johnny smirked and followed as well.

"There she is." Ben said. Merc smiled at her uncle. "Been wondering when you were gonna show up."

"How could I miss my uncle's girlfriend's birthday?" Merc asked, hugging Ben then hugging Alicia who was next to him. "Happy Birthday Alicia."

"Thanks Mercy." Alicia said. "Where's the hot head?"

"Umm…" Merc said. She looked around and spotted Johnny by a table with food on it and a few girls around him. "Over by the snack table getting flirted with."

"You're ok with that?" Ben asked.

"Remember Uncle Ben. I'm a telepath." Merc said. "And I'm pretty damn sure that if I try hard enough I can put the wrong ideas into those girls' heads and have it so they think Johnny is gross." Ben smiled but didn't say anything. He and Johnny had come to an agreement that they would…try…to stop fighting as much…at least with Merc around.

"I think you might be one of those people that wind up scaring people at times." Alicia said.

"How'd you guess?" Merc asked. The girls laughed

_Ok…this time I'll get her._ Johnny thought. Merc rolled her eyes. She didn't need to hear him thinking because Ben's eyes had shifted from her to something behind her. _She's not turning around yet. This'll work this time and…Aww hell she can probably hear me._ Merc pretended to not notice any of what her boyfriend and uncle were doing.

"So do you guys think you might wound up like Sue and Reed anytime soon?" She asked.

"Being able to turn invisible and stretch?" Alicia asked.

"No…engaged." Merc said, laughing.

_She can't just be playing stupid…I know she knows I'm right behind her._ Johnny thought. _Oh well…might as well since she's probably expecting it now._ Merc smiled slightly but jumped as Johnny stepped up next to her and shoved her lightly.

"Hey!" She said.

"What?" Johnny asked, innocently.

"You…ooooh…you were planning something completely different then what I thought you were planning." Merc said. Johnny didn't say anything. "You sneaky little bastard."

"Hey now…name calling is no way to win someone's affection." Johnny said. Merc raised her hand to hit him. Johnny threw his hands up in defense. "Neither is hitting!" She flicked her hand and Johnny's head snapped forward slightly from the force of Merc's telepathic slap. "Why…why do I keep forgetting you can do that?"

"Because you're silly." Merc said.

"That's the best you can come up with?" Johnny asked.

"Let's leave these two alone." Ben said. Alicia nodded and he led her over to some other people.

"I'm being childish." Merc said. "You're a poohead!"

"A what?" Johnny asked, laughing.

"You heard me!" Merc said.

"Oh my god." Johnny said.

"What?" Merc asked.

"Nothing…just noticed that your uncle and probable-future-aunt have basically just abandoned us." Johnny said. "After all that waiting they did for you to arrive."

"Your sarcasm is just sooo refreshing." Merc said, sarcastically.

"So is yours, baby." Johnny said, just as sarcastically.

"Mine's better though." Merc said. Neither of them noticed they had moved closer until Merc noticed that she had to look up slightly to see Johnny's face.

"Oh really?" Johnny asked.

"Really." Merc said. He bent down slightly and kissed her instantly.

"Break it up or get a room!"

"We're in a room." Johnny said, looking around at the people around to see if he could find whoever had spoken. Merc laughed and grabbed his hand, leading up to a stairwell. "Where we going?"

"To the roof." Merc said.

"Why?" Johnny asked.

"Do you always have to ask questions?" Merc asked.

"Do you always have to answer with another question?" Johnny asked.

"Do you always have to be a pain in the ass?" Merc asked, smiling.

"Ok you win there." Johnny said.

"Naturally." Merc said. They went up a few flights of stairs before coming out on another level of the building. They went into the elevator from there.

"What was the point of that?" Johnny asked.

"Just so no one else knows where we're going." Merc said. "It's easy to tell if you go straight from one floor into an elevator. This way we make it so people don't really know where we're going which could be a good thing." Johnny smiled and wrapped his arms around her from behind before leaning into a corner of the elevator making it so that Merc had to lean as well.

_Hmm…I wonder…_ Johnny thought.

"Don't." Merc said. She looked over her shoulder to see Johnny looking confused. "Don't even think about thinking about any kind of elevator sex stuff."

"Well now I am now that you mentioned it." Johnny said.

"You pig." Merc said.

"You love it." Johnny retorted.

"I never mentioned anything about love." Merc said. Johnny couldn't argue because that was true. Merc never brought up the topic of 'love' since the boat party and she certainly never did around Johnny. He didn't even know if she thought about it. He knew that she more then likely knew he thought about it occasionally.

They got out of the elevator and had to go up another flight of stairs before they came to a locked door that was labeled 'roof'.

"Will you do the honors?" Johnny asked, pointing at the door and bowing slightly.

"Of course." Merc said. "Don't need to have to pay for damages to the door after you've melted things." She managed to unlock it and they went out onto the roof. Merc instantly shivered from the wind. "How come it gets colder the higher you get?"

"Oh come on now, you can't be serious that you don't know that." Johnny said.

"I know…doesn't mean I have to like it." Merc said. "Stupid climate stuff."

"You know there's gotta be something you can go to college for that." Johnny said, going over and sitting on the edge of the roof. "I mean…there's gotta be something out there that you can do that…even though you can read someone's mind it doesn't really matter."

"There's actually a few things." Merc said, absently.

"Oh? Such as…" Johnny said. Merc shook her and smiled before walking over, resting her hands on the edge and looking down at the ground. "You're not gonna tell me are you?"

"Nope." Merc said. Johnny slid down and again wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Everything seems so different from up here."

"It's not as noisy." Johnny said. "Well it is but the noise isn't as loud."

"Now I know why you enjoy flying." Merc said, referring to the peacefulness of being high above everything else.

"You ever give it a try again?" Johnny asked.

"After the time in the stairwell chasing after Ben? No." Merc said. "I just…don't think I trust myself that much."

"Well you know what they say…you can't trust others until you trust yourself." Johnny said.

"Hmm…not necessarily true." Merc said. "I trust Uncle Ben more then I trust myself. And I trust Sue and Reed."

"Do you trust me?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah…I do." Merc said. "I mean…I have to. To let you talk me into doing all those crazy things with you."

"Hey…I never deliberately led you into anything if I thought you could get hurt." Johnny said.

"I know." Merc said. "Like the space thing."

"Actually I think that's one of the best things that's ever happened." Johnny said. "You think we would have wound up like this if it hadn't happened?"

"I dunno." Merc said. "We'd still be friends, obviously, but I don't know if we'd be…couple-like." Johnny smiled slightly. That was the first time Merc had ever said anything about them being a couple. She always said they were together but now-a-days that could mean anything. She really did have some issues when it came to commitment stuff. Then again…so did he.

They returned to the party after a while longer and soon after that the guests had all gone home and Ben had taken Alicia home before joining the others in returning to the Baxter Building. Merc and Johnny joined Ben in climbing the stairs just so that they could give Reed and Sue some alone time.

"Uncle Ben it's true!" Merc said, laughing. "If you drop rockets into like coke or whatever it is…you get like an explosion thing."

"Have you actually done that?" Ben asked.

"No…Johnny did it." Merc said.

"Guilty." Johnny said. The three of the laughed. "It wasn't funny then because I got hit in the head." Merc and Ben both laughed more. "You guys are sooo nice…not."

"Aww relax Johnny." Merc said. They got to their floor and Ben pushed open the door, leading the other two into the apartment. "You know we like you."

"Speak for yourself there, Mercy." Ben said.

"Oh you like him too, Uncle Ben." Merc said.

"Stay out of my…" Ben started but stopped.

"Stay out of your what?" Merc asked. Johnny looked at Ben then looked to where he was looking. There was Reed and Sue, both looking somewhat uncomfortable in front of a man and a woman who looked about the same age as Ben and seemed to be just as uncomfortable as the other two.

"Who are they?" Johnny asked.

"Who are wh…" Merc began then froze as she laid eyes on the other two people. "Oh my…"

"Oh your what? Merc?" Johnny asked.

"Umm…these are…umm…" Reed said.

"Merc's parents." Ben said. Next second, there was a thud and Johnny jumped over to kneel next to a now unconscious Merc.

* * *

Well what do you think? I never said anything about her parents…well I did to one reviewer. I told that person that her parents weren't dead or abusive, they were just…absent. That's why Merc lives with Ben.

I actually can't remember the names I had for them so I might need some help there. Obviously her mother is the one related to Ben because Merc's last name is Denver not Grimm.


	11. By The Way

**By The Way**

Ok so I know the new Fantastic Four movie isn't out yet, which kinda works in my favor. I've seen the trailer for it a lot and it's given me an idea.

* * *

"Hey there, babe." Johnny said as Merc's eyes finally opened. She was lying on her bed with him sitting next to her.

"Oh…" Merc said. She sat up. "It was so weird…I thought my parents were here."

"Umm…Mercy…" Johnny said.

"You mean it wasn't a dream?" Merc asked. Johnny sighed and shook his head. Merc groaned and dropped her head onto Johnny's shoulder.

"Hey, hun. Don't worry." Johnny said. "We'll…get through this. Just go talk to them. The sooner that happens, the sooner they'll leave."

"Really?" Merc asked.

"Yeah…I think." Johnny said. Merc sighed and lifted her head before sliding off the bed. Johnny went with her down the stairs to see Merc's parents sitting with Ben in the kitchen.

"Hey!" Ben said, noticing them first. He stood up and went over to them. "You ok, Mercy?"

"Yeah…no concussion or anything like last time." Merc said. "Although my head does hurt but that floor is hard so that's probably why." She looked at her parents. "Johnny…this is my mom and dad…Margo and Bill."

"Umm…hi." Johnny said.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Storm." Margo said. Merc stopped herself from rolling her eyes.

_This hot head better not have done anything to my baby girl…_ Bill thought.

"EXCUSE ME?!" Merc said. Everyone looked at her. "Since when do you have the right to just waltz in here and start calling me your baby girl?"

"I…didn't say anything." Bill said.

"Oh honey…she's a telepath remember." Margo said.

"Oh…that's why you're here." Ben said. "You heard about everything."

"That may be…partially why we're here." Margo said.

"Oh gee…so glad to know my parents care about me so much." Merc said, sarcastically. "They care so much, they drop me with my uncle six years ago, haven't spoken to them or heard from them since then…and then all this publicity shit happens and you two decide to make a grand entrance back into my life."

"Now Mercy…" Bill said.

"Don't!" Merc said. "You don't have the right to call me Mercy." The glass in front of Bill shattered making water spread out over the table. Bill and Margo jumped up to avoid getting wet.

"Hey, hey…relax now." Johnny said, moving over in front of Merc and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Ok remember the deep breath stuff Sue's been teaching you?" Merc rolled her eyes but nodded and took a few deep breaths. "You keep making things explode and we're gonna be in a bit of trouble there." He looked at Ben. "Where'd my sis go?"

"She and Reed decided it would be better to go and do some wedding planning." Ben said. Johnny nodded and looked back at Merc.

"All calm now?" He asked.

"Yep." Merc said. Johnny nodded again and returned to standing next to her. "So why are you guys here?"

"We missed you." Margo said. Merc raised an eyebrow. "We feel so bad for being away for so long and…"

"Cut the crap." Merc said. "Just tell me the truth so I don't have to go into your mind to find out."

"Well…that is the truth." Margo said. Merc rolled her eyes and looked down. Johnny looked at her.

"I can't deal with this." Merc muttered.

"Wanna get out of here?" Johnny whispered. Merc nodded slightly. He looked at everyone else. "Well you two know where the door is…Mercy needs some fresh air and I don't think Ben's up to anymore family reunion-ing today." Merc held back laughing. "Maybe some other time…see ya later Benny."

"Yeah." Ben said. Johnny didn't give Bill and Margo time to say anything because he and Merc just turned and left as fast as they could without running. Ben looked at his sister and brother-in-law. "Well…you heard him…you know where the door is." Bill glared at him but Ben just glared back. Eventually Bill and Margo left and Ben sat down again. "We definitely gotta get better locks on this place…maybe like passwords or something."

"So what exactly happened between you and your folks?" Johnny asked.

"Well like I said…six years ago they decided to go traveling so they dropped me at Ben's with a suitcase full of stuff for a few weeks." Merc said. "For a while I thought they'd be coming back but you know…weeks turned into months, months turned into years…it's why you never met them."

"I see." Johnny said. "Because you know…as your best friend then…I had the obligation to meet your parents."

"And now as my boyfriend you just did." Merc said. "Sorry about that."

"I've been through worse." Johnny said, kicking a can that was in front of him.

"Oh I bet you have." Merc said.

"Hey what's that mean?" Johnny asked.

"I dunno…ever been chased out of some girl's room by her big ass boyfriend?" Merc asked.

"Uh…let me think…no!" Johnny said.

"Alright then." Merc said. "So…what are we gonna do?"

"I can think of a few things." Johnny said, looking around.

"That doesn't involve taking me into an alley?" Merc asked.

"Yep…what about a movie?" Johnny asked, nodding at the Cineplex.

"Oh…sure." Merc said. "You're paying."

"Yeah, yeah." Johnny said. They spent a minute deciding what movie to see before Johnny bought tickets and didn't even bother with his 'I paid for tickets so you pay for snacks' thing and bought the popcorn and drinks before Merc could even say anything. She looked at him curiously.

_Maybe she'll relax more now._ Johnny thought. Merc sat down and looked at him, taking her drink from him as well before he sat down next to her. _Her parents got her pretty stressed but she's been that way for a while now that I think of it._ Merc frowned, trying to figure out how she's been stressed out for a while. _I definitely don't appreciate being woken up by her rolling around and having nightmares. But what would they be about?_ Johnny looked at her to see Merc watching him.

"I've been having nightmares?" Merc asked.

"You heard?" Johnny asked. Merc nodded. "Yeah…I don't know anything about it really but you just roll around and mutter stuff and look kind of scared. Actually last night you made a few things start floating, which is why the lamp is broken now."

"Oh…sorry." Merc said. She frowned as she tried to figure out what was going on in her head. "I don't know what it's about. I didn't even know that I was doing that. And I'm stressed?"

"Yeah…at least around me you are." Johnny said.

"I'm sorry…I'm not meaning to be." Merc said. "Something's just…"

"Oh my god, you're Johnny Storm!!" Merc flinched as a couple of teenaged girls in little outfits came into the row in front of them and kneeled on the seats.

"Uh…yeah." Johnny said.

"You are so awesome!" One of the girls said. "Can we have your autograph, please?" They each held out note pads. Merc started wondering how many people actually carried notepads around. Johnny looked at her before writing his name on the pads and giving the girls a smile. He looked at her again and instantly looked worried as Merc looked like she was going to be sick.

"Hey, you ok?" Johnny asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Uh…yeah…I'm fine." Merc said. She looked at the girls and flicked her hand, making them slide over and out of the way as the previews started.

"That was a little…mean." Johnny said.

"I know." Merc said.

"You sure you wanna be here?" Johnny asked.

"You just spent all that money. Yeah…we're gonna stay." Merc said. The more people that came in, the more Merc started feeling sick. For the last week she had had a good amount of control over her telepathy but today, things seemed to be going wrong. She couldn't find a way to stop all the thoughts entering her head.

_This movie is going to be so cool!_

_I hope there's some cute actors in this._

_Why did I let my girlfriend drag me here?_

_He's so sweet to have agreed._

_Oh hot chick over there…wonder if I can get her._

_Why are previews so long?_

_What's wrong with her?_

"Merc?" Johnny said. He put his hand on her arm. "Hey…you ok?"

"I'm hearing everything, Johnny." Merc said.

"Ok, we're getting out of here." Johnny said. He didn't let her argue. He stood up, pulled Merc to her feet, and they left. Outside, things were worse for Merc. Johnny finally found a spot that was relatively free of people and then called Sue's cell phone.

"Hi Johnny…what's up?" Sue answered.

"Merc and I went to the movies but something's wrong with her." Johnny said. "She says she's hearing everyone's thoughts like when she first got the powers. She's been fine for the last week but now she looks like her head's ready to explode."

"Ok we'll be there in a minute…where are you?" Sue asked. Johnny told her and then hung up before going back over to Merc who was sitting in a corner, all curled with her hands holding fistfuls of hair at the sides of her head. She was rocking slightly.

"Merc?" Johnny asked. She looked up at him, her hands loosening their grip on her hair.

"Johnny, make it stop." Merc said, crying now. Johnny was instantly down on his knees next to her, hugging her. Something was terribly wrong and whatever it was, it was hurting Merc badly. Johnny didn't think it was just all the thoughts returning that was doing this to her. Merc whimpered slightly and felt Johnny's arms tighten slightly around her. She wanted it all to stop. She didn't care how it was going to stop…she just wanted it gone.

"I can't do anything, Mercy." Johnny said, quietly. "I'm so sorry…"

"Johnny?" He looked up to see Sue and Reed. They spotted him and ran over.

"What's wrong with her?" Reed asked.

"I don't know." Johnny said. He felt Merc slump somewhat against him and looked down to see her unconscious. "Maybe now she'll be ok for a while."

"Let's get her home and run some tests." Reed said.

"What's going on?" Ben asked a while later as Johnny came in, carrying Merc, and Reed and Sue went past him and into the lab to set things up. "What happened?"

"We don't know." Sue said. "But we're gonna find out." Ben looked at Merc who was still unconscious.

"Johnny, put her over here." Reed said. Johnny nodded and put Merc down on the examination table. He and Ben watched as Sue and Reed muttered to each other and kept looking at Merc.

"Come on, kid. I don't think we're gonna be much help." Ben said. He and Johnny went into the kitchen. "So what happened?"

"After we left, we walked around a bit before going to see a movie." Johnny said. "A couple of girls asked for an autograph and Merc got kinda mad so she made them move out of the way because they were right in front of us and blocking the screen. Then she started acted weird and as more people came in, the weirder she acted."

"Like when she first got her powers?" Ben suggested. Johnny nodded. "Ok…then what?"

"Well I made her leave as soon as we stepped outside, things got worse." Johnny said. "So I got her away from all the people and called Sue about it. Next time I looked at Merc, she was all curled up and looked ready to tear her hair out of her head."

"What is going on with her?" Ben muttered. Johnny shook her head. "You think it might happen to us as well?"

"What?" Johnny asked.

"Just…feeling all that pain…I guess." Ben said.

"I don't know." Johnny said. "I don't think so. I think it's mostly just because of her telepathy."

"But it hasn't been this bad before." Ben said, looking out into the lab. Reed had put the helmet thing back onto Merc's head. He looked back at Johnny. "What if they can't figure it out?"

"They will…they always do." Johnny said, not really believing himself. The two just sat there and tried to hear what Reed and Sue were saying but the couple was talking too quietly. There was a loud bang and Reed and Sue were yelling now. Johnny and Ben ran into the lab. A bunch of beakers shattered and a few things were now floating off the ground.

"Reed! What's going on?" Ben yelled.

"The helmet blew up…literally!" Reed said. A chair was thrown at him and his entire upper half moved to the side to avoid getting hit.

"What did you do to her?" Johnny asked.

"We didn't do anything!" Sue said.

"Obviously you did!" Johnny said as another chair was launched at Sue who stopped it while a force field.

"All we did was put a needle in her arm…we never got to inject…" Reed started but never got to finish because another thing, this time a table, was launched in his direction and he had to move his whole body to get out of the way.

"Well that must have done something." Ben said.

"She's unconscious…how would she know what we've done?" Sue asked.

"The unconscious mind is pretty powerful, Susie." Ben said.

"She must know something because she's only attacking you two." Johnny said. There was an instant where everything that was in the air froze before falling to the ground, a few things breaking. "Try not to stab her again, ok?" He sounded really angry as he walked over to where Merc was lying, still unconscious. He looked at her arm to see a bit of blood, obviously where Reed or Sue had stuck the needle in before all of the mayhem started.

Somehow they managed to do a few tests without anything happening. Once they finished, Johnny carried Merc up to her room and laid her on the bed. She groaned and opened her eyes.

"God…I have the worse headache." Merc muttered. Johnny smiled softly at her. He got up and got a bowl of water and a cloth before returning to her side. "What happened?"

"Wish I knew, baby." Johnny said, putting the cloth on her forehead after getting it wet. "You fainted and Reed and Sue have done a few tests."

"Again?" Merc asked. "Gee…what am I? A lab rat?"

"Starting to seem like it, doesn't it." Johnny said, smiling slightly. Although Merc was acting normal, she looked far from it. She looked really pale and her eyes seemed somewhat duller then normal. Johnny put his hand on her cheek.

"Do I seem any different?" Merc asked. "Something feels off."

"I dunno." Johnny said. "I'm gonna go see what they found out from the tests…you stay here ok?"

"Ok fine." Merc said. Johnny leaned down and kissed her softly before going back to the lab. The instant he entered he noticed that the others all looked uncomfortable and grave.

"Check it again, Reed. It's gotta be wrong." Ben said.

"I've checked it five times now, Ben." Reed said.

"I've checked it a few times." Sue said.

"What's wrong now?" Johnny asked. They all looked at him.

"Uh…the test results." Sue said. "They umm…all say the same thing. Reed and I both checked them over and over and the results are all the same."

"And the end result is…" Johnny prompted.

"Umm…Merc's powers are what caused her to…start feeling…unwell." Reed said. "And…they've begun to…hurt her…whenever she uses them."

"So we just get her to stop using them for a while." Johnny said.

"There's more to it." Sue said. Johnny raised an eyebrow at her. "Umm…every time she uses them she…umm…gets weaker."

"So in…in conclusion to all of this…" Reed said. "Her powers have…uh…they've begun weakening her. And so…the more she uses them…the weaker she gets until…"

"You're making it sound like the usage of her powers is killing her." Johnny said. No one said anything. Johnny's face fell. "No…come on…you gotta be joking. She can't be dying. No…Ben?" He looked at Ben. "Tell me their lying."

"Sorry, kid." Ben said. "I wish I could…god I wish I could."

"The only thing I can think of that'll help her is to get rid of her powers." Reed said. "But she's like you, Johnny…she won't do it. She won't go into the machine."

"So what? You want me to convince her to do it?" Johnny asked. Slowly, Reed and Sue nodded. "No way! She won't buy it. There's no way she'll believe that I want her to get rid of her powers without telling her what's going on and I don't think you guys want me to do that."

"No…we don't." Sue said.

"She's going to find out." Johnny said. "She can read our minds."

"I know…that's what's worrying us." Reed said. "I already started on finding a way to keep her from doing that…at least to us."

"What like a charm or something?" Johnny asked. Reed nodded. "So you're really not joking about this? Mercy really is dying?"

"For lack of a better term…yes." Sue said. Johnny felt numb. He didn't want to believe it but he knew it was true. The look on Sue's face, the way Ben was acting led Johnny to finally accept it.

"What's going on?" Everyone jumped and turned to see Merc standing behind Johnny. The confused and curious look on her face made them all relax somewhat. She hadn't heard anything.

"Nothing." Ben said. "How you feeling?"

"I'm ok." Merc said. "Guess I just needed some rest." She smiled but still looked pale. Johnny smiled at her and forced himself to keep other thoughts at the front of his mind so that Merc wouldn't be able to read the problem one. "I'm kinda hungry. Can we get take-out or something?"

"Sure…we'll get something delivered." Sue said, smiling. Merc smiled again. Johnny took her hand then looked down at their hands. Hers was freezing against his skin. He heated up his own hand and soon hers was warm as well.

"Come on Mercy." Johnny said. "We'll watch TV while they all order the food then go wait for it."

"Ok." Merc said. They sat on the couch and Johnny looked around for the remote. "It's over there." Merc pointed to where the remote sat on a speaker by the TV. "Want me to…"

"NO!" Johnny said, a little too quickly. "No, don't worry about it. You should…umm…save your energy and power for when we need it in a fight or…something."

"Uh…ok." Merc said, frowning. Johnny got up and got the remote. He gave Merc a smile and she just shrugged before cuddling up next to him. Johnny sighed in relief that she didn't ask any questions. He didn't know how long he was going to be able to keep this up if she did start asking.

* * *

Ok so the chapter is kinda long and there's not much with her parents. They will return though and you'll find out more of what's going on with Merc. I needed something to bring back some action and excitement into the story…especially when I bring in a villain. Not sure if I should have a new one or bring back Doom.

Also…I'm not sure if I should have Merc actually die or not……


	12. What is Normal?

**What is Normal?**

Ok so I've gotten some research done on the Silver Surfer so…I might bring him in if I can't think of any other person or bad guy to bring in. So if anyone's got any ideas of what could happen, tell me!

* * *

Merc watched Johnny carefully over the next few days. She also watched the rest of her Fantastic Five group. Lately they've been popping up out of no where, seemingly keeping an eye on her but she couldn't prove anything. They were starting to learn how to stop her from reading their minds and it was beginning to get frustrating. Johnny was, surprisingly enough, actually not hanging around her as much as he used to and that worried her. Just when everyone else seemed to take a huge interest in her life, her boyfriend was backing off??

That thought kept her awake at night as Johnny lay either next to her or behind her with his arm around her waist, fast asleep. Merc didn't know what to do or how to find out what was going on. Her thoughts were on the previous night when Johnny had freaked when he saw Merc using her powers to move a book closer to her and she reacted by putting her hand on her head as a sudden headache burst. Then, ever so casually, Johnny started asking how Merc would feel if she didn't have her powers anymore. How she would feel if she agreed to go into the machine to get rid of them.

"Not a chance bubba." Merc had said, suddenly very suspicious of her boyfriend. "Just because you guys are figuring out ways to keep me from reading your thoughts right away doesn't mean I can't find out what you're thinking." Johnny gave her a look that clearly showed that he had no idea what she was talking about.

Of course Merc thought he was trying to get her to get rid of her powers because she thought that he was getting bored or something. Maybe he had found some other girl he liked and, in order to stop her from reading his mind to find out, he wanted her to not be able to read his mind. Although…that thought was quickly thrown out the window as Johnny finally understood what she was thinking and so he took it into his own hands to make sure she knew that she was the only one that he wanted.

Merc used a bit of her powers to remove Johnny's arm from her waist. She squeezed her eyes shut as a small pain in her head erupted. She sat up and got out of the bed, rubbing her temples to try and ease the pain. She was going to find out what was going on whether they wanted her to or not.

"Let's see…Reed doesn't throw out a lot of stuff so let's check his desk." Merc muttered as she left her room. She walked quietly down to the lab. Everything was dark but she quickly found a lamp and turned it on. She looked through all the papers on the desk but didn't find anything. She turned and looked at the head scan machine Reed had used on her a few times. It reminded her of a smaller version of a CAT scan machine. "Worth a shot. I've seen them use this thing. Just push on and get in place before it starts going." She walked over and hit the on button before getting her head in the right spot. She closed her eyes as a bright light swept over her face and a somewhat loud beep went off.

Johnny moved his arm, trying to tighten his hold on Merc. It took a second for him to realize that he was grasping air. When that realization hit he sat up quickly and looked around. The bedroom door was open and he heard the beep.

"Oh shit!" Johnny said, scrambling out of the bed and tripping as the sheets tangled around his legs. He got untangled and ran down to the lab and saw Merc sitting at Reed's desk with a few papers in one hand and the other hand on the side of her head.

"Johnny what…" Sue started, coming down the stairs tying up her robe with Reed behind her doing the same. Out of the four that were down there now, Johnny was the one with the less clothes on, standing there in his boxers. Merc looked up at them and even in the lack of light, there was no mistaking that she was mad.

"Merc…" Reed said.

"Ok I know I don't understand a lot of what this shit says but I do get the idea." Merc said. "What the hell? You've all seen me…you've seen me get headaches whenever I use my powers and you didn't bother to tell me this? Was I ever going to find out?" She looked at Johnny. "And you…is this why you were suggesting I get into the machine and get my powers taken away?"

"It…I…" Johnny said.

"Why could you just tell me?" Merc asked. "Did all of you know?" Slowly, the other three nodded. Tears ran down Merc's cheeks. "No wonder you all have been trying extra hard to keep me from reading your minds." She sniffed and rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. "What great friends I have…"

"We were just trying to…" Sue started.

"To what?" Merc asked. "The main point is my powers are killing me. Why couldn't you just tell me? Instead of being overly watchful and yelling at me whenever I start to even contemplate using my powers?" The light went on and they all blinked rapidly to get their eyes adjusted before looking up to see Ben.

"What's going on?" Ben asked, joining the other three.

"She knows." Reed said.

"Yeah…finding out by myself." Merc said, bitterly. "I had to sneak down here, snoop around to see if I could find anything, and then do a test on myself just to find out what the hell is going on."

"Mercy you gotta understand…" Ben said.

"What's there to understand?" Merc asked. "The fact that my friends, uncle and boyfriend would rather watch me like hawks then tell me why I shouldn't be using my powers?" She gave a short, humorless laugh. "Oh wait…I'm sorry…not all of you watched like hawks. My boyfriend was the only one not to. Just as everyone starts being overly attentive, he becomes less and less so." She flicked off the lamp. "Boy, a girl could feel sooo special around you lot." She threw the papers in the air as she walked past them. The other four didn't move until they heard the slamming of a door. That was when Johnny spun around and ran up to her room and tried getting in but found the door locked.

"Mercy open up!" He called.

"No." Merc said.

"Mercy please…I'm sorry." Johnny said.

"Go to hell…it's the only place hot enough for you." Merc said. Johnny hit the door a few times. "GO AWAY!!" He sighed and leaned his head against the wood before slowly walking to his own room.

Merc sat against her door with her arms wrapped around her knees and her forehead resting on them. She spent the rest of the night that way, crying.

"Neither of them have come out of their rooms." Sue said, coming into the kitchen where Reed and Ben were sitting. "Merc's door is locked and Johnny refused to talk to me and keeps his back to the door. He just lies there on his bed like he used to…" She drifted off and stared at the table.

"We should have told her." Ben said. "Just right from the off, we should have."

"You wanted to keep her safe from knowing as well." Reed said. "We all did."

"I think we thought if we could keep her from finding out…then we weren't too upset with the knowledge that she might be mad at us for telling her to not use her powers." Sue said, slowly.

"We still should have told her." Ben said. "But we didn't. We can face off against some psychotic billionaire but we can't tell a nineteen year old girl what's happening to her. We're a bunch of cowards." Sue and Reed nodded.

It was nearly five in the evening when Johnny finally came out. He looked at them then grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and finished it quickly before heading to the elevator.

"Wait, where are you going?" Sue asked, going after him.

"Where does it look like? I'm going out." Johnny said.

"You can't!" Sue said, blocking his way.

"Sue we've been through this before." Johnny said.

"Johnny, you can't go out there because there's a girl that, whether or not she wants to admit it, needs you right now." Sue said. "Are you just going to leave?"

"Umm…let me think…yeah." Johnny said. He tried getting past her but Sue kept blocking his way. "She doesn't want to talk to me. She won't listen to me anymore then she will listen to you guys. So get out of the way."

"No." Sue said. Johnny rolled his eyes and turned around. Sue watched him go across the lab and then head out to the balcony. That's when it clicked in her mind what he was planning. "Johnny! Don't you dare…" It was too late…he had already run and jumped before flaming on and flying away. Sue sighed and dropped her head, looking at the ground as she headed back to the kitchen.

"What are we going to do?" Reed asked. "Merc refused to talk to any of us. Johnny refuses to be around here because of that."

"I could just break down her door." Ben said.

"And risk her using her powers to throw you back out? No." Sue said.

"You don't have to worry about that." They all turned to see Merc standing in the doorway. She looked bad. Red, puffy eyes from crying, bags under her eyes from lack of sleep and she was extremely pale. Ben stood up and walked over to her before putting an arm over her shoulders. Merc started crying again but nothing more then tears running down her face.

"Merc?" Sue asked.

"If I…if I go through the machine…" Merc said. "Will it make everything better?"

"It won't make it all completely better." Reed said. "But we can help you recover from it and you'll be back to normal in no time." Merc looked at him and the flow of tears stopped.

"What's normal?" She asked.

"What?" Reed asked, caught off guard.

"What is normal, Reed?" Merc asked. "I mean…what can we define as normal? This…" She gestured at them all. "This could be what's normal for us."

"Then you might have to be abnormal." Sue said, softly. "It being normal is killing you…" Merc just nodded.

It was relatively quick. She went into the machine, reluctantly and only after quite a few minutes of standing before the open door. It was dark outside by the time she finally stepped inside.

Johnny, who was flying back to the Baxter stopped in mid-air and stared at the building as he saw the wave of light come from it as it did when Ben went into the machine. He lowered himself onto the roof of another building and dropped his head into his hands. He couldn't believe she had actually done it. He knew she would if she saw no other way…but he still couldn't believe it. He flamed back on but only to safely land on the sidewalk. He needed the time from walking to think about what he was going to do.

* * *

Ok so kinda rushed there and a bit quick on a lot of things. I still need ideas for who to use as a bad guy because I don't really know any of the Fantastic Four enemies.

Oh…and…do you think Merc will stay "normal"? Heehee…let's see if you all can figure it out.


	13. Dancing, Parents and Acceptance

**Dancing, Parents and Acceptance**

Ok Merc won't stay 'normal' but it's gonna be a while until everything's back and there's gonna be a lot of trouble between then and now.

* * *

"Ok now try it again." Reed said.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Merc asked. "The machine worked…I can't read your mind, I can't move things and I can't make things explode or shatter." She crossed her arms, irritated.

"Alright." Reed said. Merc had fainted just after she had stepped out of the machine and it wasn't until noon the next day that she had woken up. For the last while Reed had been trying to see if things had worked. Merc hadn't seen Johnny at all but Sue had said that he had come in after she had fainted and spent some time sitting with her before going to sleep. He was gone before Merc had woken up.

"Ok so we're done here…can I go to work?" Merc asked.

"Umm…sure." Reed said. "Why don't you have Sue go with…"

"I don't need a bodyguard, Reed." Merc said. "I'll be fine." She grabbed her bag and left.

She got to the studio and looked at her class. After dealing with Jake for what he had said to the newspapers back when the Fantastic Five first became somewhat celebrities, him and a few other people had left the class. The girls Merc had used to perform on the boat party were still there and there were a few new kids.

"Ok so I have a few announcements to make." Merc said. Everyone looked at her. "I managed to get the show rescheduled so we get another week to practice and come up with things since we've lost some people and gained a few new ones. That and I'd also like to let you all know that you don't have worry about what you think anymore."

"Huh? Why?" One of the girls asked.

"Because a few days ago Reed found out that the reason I've been getting headaches whenever I use my powers is because they're somehow….basically killing me." Merc said. There were gasps of horror through the group. "But!! I finally agreed to allow my powers to be taken away so I'm not dying anymore but I also can't move things, read minds or make things explode when I get mad."

"Oh Merc…we're sorry." Another girl said.

"It's no big deal." Merc said, lying. "It just means that someone's gonna have to go back to turning the stereo on and off again instead of me using my powers to do it." She forced on a smile and everyone bought it. So they started working on a dance and Merc took suggestions for how it could be improved. Every so often someone would forget what Merc had just told them and they would suggest that she could use her powers in someway during the show. Merc would frown every time someone brought up a suggestion that way but she didn't react in any other way.

"Now let's see if I remember where she is." Johnny muttered, walking into the studio and removing his sunglasses. He completely ignored the receptionist this time and walked down the hall. He had to look in a few rooms like the last time before he remembered which one was Merc's. He walked in and watched the group dancing. Merc was moving in and out of the lines, correcting some people, helping those that needed it. Johnny leaned against the wall by the door with his arms crossed. One of the girls spotted him and nudged the girl next to her. Soon most of the girls were looking at him.

"What are you all talking…" Merc started but then saw Johnny. She didn't smile like he had hoped she would…not even a small one. She just looked at him before looking at the ground and turning her back to Johnny to address the group. "Umm…ok guys. That was good. So…keep practicing and I'll see everyone next week. You all can go home or…wherever." Everyone started leaving. Merc turned off the stereo and put her CDs away. Johnny waited until it was only the two of them in the room.

"So…" He said. "How you feeling?"

"Better." Merc said. She wasn't looking at him. "I keep forgetting that I can't do some things…so does my class." She tucked her hair behind her ear and sat down on a bench. "I don't know how I feel." Johnny walked closer to her. "It's like…there's a part of me that's happy to not be hearing people in my head anymore. But…the other part…the bigger, louder part…it's not."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Johnny said, sitting next to her. "I guess I just thought that I was keeping you safer that way. I thought it was one of those 'what you don't know, can't hurt you' kind of things."

"You were wrong." Merc said, finally looking at him. "Just because I didn't know about it didn't mean it wasn't hurting me. It hurt more not knowing." She took Johnny's hand. He squeezed hers lightly and brushed some hair out of her face.

"I don't want you to be so miserable." Johnny said, kissing her forehead.

"There's not much you can do about it." Merc said.

"What if…I…got rid of my…my powers?" Johnny said, having trouble getting it out.

"What?" Merc asked. "No…don't do that."

"Why not?" Johnny asked.

"You love your powers." Merc said. "Remember how amazed you were when you got them? You won't be able to survive without them now."

"I won't be surviving if I know that you're going to be miserable." Johnny said.

"Johnny the team needs you." Merc said. "Don't give up your powers."

"Not even for you?" Johnny asked.

"If you want to do something for me then do as I say, not as I do." Merc said.

"Well then what can I do to make you feel better?" Johnny asked.

"Promise me something." Merc said. Johnny nodded. "Promise me that you won't keep something as big as my powers killing me from me again. If there's something big going on that could result in you, Ben, Reed, Sue, myself or anyone else who comes along…if there's something that could hurt any of us and you know about it…please don't keep it from me."

"I…Ok." Johnny said. "I promise I'll tell you if something like that comes up." Merc smiled slightly. "And…what do you mean…anyone else who comes along?" He raised an eyebrow. "Are you…"

"No way." Merc said. "Remember hot shot, I'm on the pill. No way that's happening anytime soon. I was just saying that maybe if you become an uncle and something had the capability of harming your niece or nephew."

"Oh." Johnny said. He sighed in relief. "That's good. For a second there I thought…not that that would be a bad thing but I just don't know what'll…yeah." Merc laughed at him and shook her head. "Ha…got you to smile. Now I'm happy again."

"Well good." Merc said. "Because that's what I life for."

"Really?" Johnny asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively. He leaned closer.

"Well I don't life for it but it's good to have…" Merc started but was cut off by Johnny's lips pressing against her own. Her eyes closed as she wound her arms around Johnny's neck. He pulled her legs up across his lap and ran his fingers along her thigh.

There was a cough and they pulled apart, neither of them noticing until that moment that they had become horizontal and Johnny was on top of Merc. They looked over at the door to see Merc's parents. Her mom looked uncomfortable and her dad looked…well…uncomfortable as well. Johnny instantly sat up, pulling Merc up to a sitting position as well. Merc bit her lower lip. In truth, she was only uncomfortable that she had been caught, not that it was her parents doing the catching.

"Well…umm…this is…a surprise." Margo said. "We just…uh…came by to see if Mercedes would…like to join us for dinner."

"I don't…" Merc started but Johnny nudged her.

"They're trying." He muttered.

"They're only here because they found out about the partial celebrity stuff." Merc muttered back.

"Well…it's a free meal. Go for it." Johnny said. Merc rolled her eyes and looked at her parents.

"I'll join…if Johnny can come too." She said.

"What?" Johnny and Bill both said.

"Well…I don't think I'd feel really comfortable in all honesty." Merc said. "So unless Johnny comes as well, I won't go."

"That's fine." Margo said.

"It'll have to be tomorrow night." Johnny said. "Remember Reed and Sue are having their engagement party…thing tonight."

"Oh right." Merc said.

"Tomorrow night is fine." Margo said. "We'll get a reservation and you two can just meet us."

"I guess." Merc said. She gave her parents her cell phone number before the four of them left and went in different directions. "Uh…what was that about?"

"What was what about?" Johnny asked.

"You were…on my parents' side." Merc said.

"I'm on your side." Johnny said. "Like I said…free meal."

"There's more to it." Merc said. "I may not be psychic anymore but I still can tell when you're holding back."

"Well…maybe what you need is…some sort of family thing." Johnny said. "After all of this. I mean…say you tell them about you not having powers anymore tomorrow. What if they stay? What if they still wanna see you?"

"What if they don't?" Merc asked.

"Then you'll know for sure." Johnny said. Merc sighed. "Come on…I'm right. You know I'm right." He poked her lightly.

"Yeah…you're right." Merc said, pushing him. "But you know that rubbing it in isn't helping you get anything."

"Merc you got mail." Ben said when he saw her come into the kitchen. He seemed a bit surprised to see Johnny follow right after her and they weren't arguing.

"Really?" Merc asked.

"Yeah." Ben said. He held up the letter with a small smile. Merc smiled and took the envelope.

"Who's it from?" Johnny asked.

"You'll see." Merc said, opening the envelope and removing the letter. Her eyes scanned over it before she squealed and bounced a bit before hugging Ben. She then ran over to Johnny and hugged him.

"Whoa…not that I don't like this but what's going on?" Johnny asked.

"I got accepted." Merc said. Johnny stared at her.

"Accepted into…wait…you applied to a college?" He asked. Merc nodded. "Aw Mercy that's great." He hugged her again. "So what are you going for?"

"Listen to this." Merc said. She looked at the letter. "They said that they've heard of me so were somewhat reluctant to grant me acceptance because of my powers. However, they read what I had written and they said that…" She looked over the letter. "That it was one of the most original things they've read in a while and so would be very happy to have me at their school."

"What you've written?" Johnny asked. Realization dawned on his face. "You didn't."

"Didn't what?" Merc asked.

"Use that story you wrote about…" Johnny said, gesturing to the both of them.

"It's the best one I had." Merc said. "I've written a bunch of stuff, you know that, but that's the best one I could think of to use and it got me accepted when I could have been denied because of my powers."

"Which you don't have anymore." Ben said.

"Don't remind me." Merc said. "God…I have to tell Bill and Margo that tomorrow night."

"Why?" Ben asked.

"Because hot shot here told me to accept their offer of going out to dinner with them." Merc said, gesturing at Johnny. "So tonight I have to sit through an engagement party and tomorrow night I have to sit through my parents probably telling me how sorry they are for not being in my life." She smiled suddenly. "But Johnny has to go through it as well because I managed to convince them to let him come too."

"You're lucky you're so damn beautiful or else I wouldn't be doing this for you." Johnny said.

"You're lucky I don't have my powers anymore so I have to do this physically and it won't hurt as much." Merc said, smacking him in the back of the head.

"OW!" Johnny said, rubbing his head. "God…what was that for this time?"

"Just because." Merc said. Johnny glared at her softly.

"I'll get you back for that." He said. Merc just shook her head but froze as she looked out the window. Frowning slightly, she went out onto the balcony and looked around. Ben and Johnny exchanged a look before following.

"What are you looking for?" Ben asked.

"I don't know." Merc said. She frowned more before shaking her head. "I guess I was just having a false sense of alarm or something."

"Maybe." Johnny said. They went back inside as Sue and Reed showed up and they all got ready for the night.

* * *

Well there's this chapter. I'm going to be updating faster because now I've got ideas so yay!! 


	14. Choices

**Choices**

Gee…it's been a month and only one review. Is this because I made Merc power-free for the time being because it's not gonna last.

* * *

Merc wasn't very happy. Not at all. 

It had started the day she and Johnny went to join her parents. Just before they entered, Reed had sent a message to Johnny saying that they were needed because there was some bad stuff happening that they had to deal with. Merc sighed but told him to go ahead and go. Johnny just gave her a look but she pushed and he flamed on, flying away. She still joined her parents though and told them everything. They accepted it, surprisingly enough.

Every other day there seemed to be something going on that made the other four members of the (still for some odd reason) Fantastic Five leave. Merc spent more and more time with her parents but her suspicion of them remained high and personal issues weren't spoken with them. There was a news story about it: the youngest member of the Fantastic Five gets reunited with estranged parents. There were even pictures but, another surprise, her parents didn't appear to have done any interviews.

After a month of being power-free, Merc realized that she hadn't really seen Johnny at all except in the morning and when he got home from…whatever it was he was doing when he wasn't with the other three. She didn't know what to think of that so she just didn't comment on it. Subtly, she stopped eating and started losing weight. Merc had learned to keep it hidden what she felt and had gotten good at making people believe she was happy.

"So…Sue's birthday is coming up soon." Merc said, sitting on one end of the couch while Johnny sat on the other and her feet were on the middle cushion. The placement confused Johnny when Merc had instantly sat down and put her feet up so that he couldn't sit next to her. He had tried moving them, making it seem like a joke, but then gave up as she wouldn't budge.

"Yeah I know." Johnny said. "I still don't know what to get her though."

"Maybe…I dunno." Merc said.

"Well I know what she might like which is kinda like a gift to all of us." Johnny said. Merc tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Moving out."

"Her or you?" Merc asked.

"Us." Johnny said, pointing between him and Merc. Her other eyebrow joined the first one. "You know…me and her were living separately for a while and then all this happened and now we're living together yet again." He rolled his eyes but smiled. "It's just getting weird though. It's like one weird, dysfunctional family. We're all great together but nearly twenty-four seven of all of us…" Merc made a noise of disbelief that Johnny seemed to miss. "It gets to be too much."

"Uh huh." Merc said.

"Especially now that, even though we promised, Ben and I really can't keep friendly." Johnny said. He blinked and looked at Merc oddly. "What do you mean 'uh huh'? As if it didn't matter." Merc shrugged and crossed her arms. Johnny narrowed his eyes slightly as he noticed she hadn't looked at his face at all through their conversation and that the long sleeved shirt she was wearing, which had seemed the right size a few weeks ago, now seemed a bit too big. He shrugged it off, thinking that Merc had stretched it or something.

"Nothing, it's fine." She said, reaching up and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"What's fine?" Johnny asked, not really sure if she was talking about her monotonous statements or the idea of them getting their own place or something else.

"Whatever, everything's fine…doesn't matter." Merc said.

"Are you ok?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, fine." Merc said.

"Will you quit saying that?" Johnny asked.

"Johnny I'm fine, really." Merc said, smiling. For the first time in…he didn't know how long…Johnny could see how fake it was. He frowned slightly, finally noticing something was seriously off with his girlfriend.

"Well…what do you think about it? Us moving in together?" Johnny asked.

"Aren't we already moved in together?" Merc asked.

"I meant by ourselves." Johnny said. "You know…without my sister or future brother-in-law or your uncle hovering around."

"Sounds ok." Merc said. Again, that disinterested tone. Something was wrong.

"If you don't like the idea…" Johnny said.

"No, it's good. It sounds great." Merc said with another fake smile. She still didn't look him in the eye and that seemed to unnerve Johnny as much as the fake smiles and the rest of Merc's odd behavior. "It'll be good for everyone. But can we maybe not go too far?"

"Well the floor two down from here has a room…" Johnny said. "Not like it's gonna be anywhere near as big as this one but…"

"Good." Merc said. "There's way too much room in this place. It's impossible to get it all messed up without powers." They heard a song start playing and both looked around. "Oh…it's Bill and Margo." Merc got off the couch and Johnny watched her walk over to where her phone was before answering it. "Hi…different ring tones for different people remember." Johnny watched as a real yet small smile appeared on her face as Merc walked back and forward by the time. "Yeah ok…sounds like a good idea. Umm…I don't think so. Busy probably." Johnny frowned. "Yeah…sure. Alright, see you then. Bye." She hung up.

"Gotten kinda chummy with your parents now, have ya?" Johnny asked.

"Only noticed now have ya?" Merc asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Johnny asked.

"Nothing." Merc said. Johnny stood up. Merc looked at him but still avoided eye contact. "It meant nothing."

"It meant something." Johnny said. Merc went into the kitchen. Johnny frowned and followed her. "Merc, come on, talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about." Merc said.

"Merc, what is wrong with you?" Johnny asked.

"Nothing is wrong." Merc said.

"Then why are you acting this way?" Johnny asked. Merc shrugged. "Goddamnit will you look at me?" Her eyes finally lifted to his and Johnny hated what he saw. There was nothing. It's like the Mercedes he knew had turned into an emotionless zombie. He shook his head slightly, looking at her.

"Go away, Johnny." Merc said, lowering her eyes again as a sudden rush of hurt filled them. "Please." She walked around him and headed up to her room. Johnny didn't follow, just stood there looking at where she had been.

The next day Merc went and saw her parents, Ben was out with Alicia, and Reed and Sue watched as a somewhat frantic Johnny searched through all the files Reed had from all the tests performed on Merc.

"Are you gonna tell us what you're trying to do?" Sue asked.

"I'm looking for something…" Johnny said.

"I think we figured that out." Reed said.

"Something that'll help me with Merc…" Johnny said. Reed and Sue looked at each other. They were aware of the fact that Johnny and Merc spent little time together lately but they didn't know that there was a problem that required looking through the test records.

"You and Merc have a problem?" Reed asked.

"Is she pregnant?" Sue asked.

"We haven't done that in a while…" Johnny said, pausing in his search. It was true. Ever since she found out her powers were killing her, Merc hadn't even allowed Johnny to sleep in the same room as her. Her trust in his had been completely shattered from that day and with him being out a lot of the time didn't help.

"So…what are you doing?" Reed asked.

"Merc has been acting weird…haven't you guys noticed that?" Johnny asked. Sue and Reed shrugged. "It's like…I think she's gotten smaller, she's forcing all of her smiles and is basically acting like an empty shell."

"So you're looking through her test files?" Sue asked.

"Her powers are like yours." Johnny said. "They work off her emotions. So what if, when you got rid of her powers, you somehow altered her emotions?"

"That can't be possible." Reed said, walking over and joining Johnny in the search.

"But what if it is?" Johnny asked. "Then what?" Reed didn't have an answer.

"You're awfully quiet." Margo said. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." Merc said, kicking a stone. Unlike the other times before, they were just walking through a park instead of going somewhere. She faked yet another smile and her parents seemed convinced.

"I'm sorry to ask, it makes us seem horrible, but when is your birthday again?" Bill asked.

"Not for another few months." Merc said. "Sue's birthday is in two weeks though."

"We weren't asking about her." Margo said. Merc looked at them then around at the park.

"Mercy." She turned and saw Ben and Alicia walking up the path towards them. Another fake smile…she was happy to see them but she had been faking smiles for so long now that's all she could do.

"Hey Uncle Ben." Merc said. "Alicia."

"Hi." Alicia said.

"Bill, Margo." Ben said, nodding at Merc's parents. They nodded back. Merc looked between them. The tension was thick and, every time Ben saw Bill and Margo it was always that way. He just couldn't bring himself to forgive his sister and brother-in-law for making their daughter cry for so many nights. A gust of wind made Merc shiver more then it should have. That didn't go unnoticed by Ben who, like Johnny, only now seemed to notice how thin she had gotten. Johnny passed it off as the shirt getting stretched but, after looking at her carefully, Ben realized that it wasn't just the clothes, his niece actually was smaller then she used to be.

"Hey Mercy, do you wanna join us in getting some food?" Alicia said, trying to break the silence.

"Umm…well…" Merc said.

"We'd love to have you join us." Ben said. "It'll be good. We haven't talked in a while."

"I guess." Merc said. She looked at her parents. "I guess I'll see you guys later then."

_It's all…_

_There's something…_

Merc shook her head. She could have sworn she just heard her mother's voice and Ben's voice in her head for a second there. But that wasn't possible…she didn't have powers anymore.

Luckily for her, they went to a buffet that Merc used the excuse that she wasn't overly fond of so that her uncle and his girlfriend didn't push her to eat too much. She could tell that, even though he was rock, Ben was looking at with an odd, confused expression. Alicia didn't say much throughout the meal. She couldn't see the looks passed between uncle and niece and she didn't know that there was anything wrong Merc.

"Well I'm gonna head home. I have an assignment due for class in a few days and I haven't quite finished it." Merc said. She had started classes a while ago and, even though that could constitute as an excuse as to why she hadn't seen Johnny in a while, it didn't seem to fit into her mind. She went to classes during most days of the week and only taught the dance class once a week. She didn't get to go to the show because of an assignment that needed to be done but Sue had taped it and Merc got to see how good the students were.

"Well it was nice being with you again, Merc." Alicia said. Merc smiled slightly and hugged her. Alicia frowned as the younger girl let go. Merc hugged Ben and then left. "There's something wrong."

"What?" Ben asked.

"She feels…smaller…then before." Alicia said. "She doesn't seem very happy much either."

"How do you pick up on this?" Ben asked, smiling somewhat.

"Just because I'm blind, Benny, doesn't mean my other senses don't work." Alicia said, smiling.

"I think this is it." Sue said, holding up a few papers. "The test we did on her a few days after she had gone into the machine." Reed and Johnny rushed over and looked at the papers.

"I can't believe it." Reed said. "Johnny you're right. Somehow…when we got rid of her powers, bits of her emotions went with them. It's as if her emotions were tied so tightly to her powers that…"

"I get it, Reed." Johnny said. "God this is getting so bad. First we have to get rid of her powers because they're killing her…and now, without powers, she's like some emotionless zombie. Can't there just be a happy medium? Like…she doesn't die but she's not a zombie?"

"Give her back her powers and tell her not to use them." Sue said, deadpan. Johnny looked at the machine. It still sat where Reed had built it but hadn't been touched since Merc went in. It was starting to get dusty.

"It's still in working condition." Reed said. "It just might take a bit of…" The phone rang and everyone looked at each other before Johnny went and answered it.

"Hello?" He asked. "This is…ok." He looked at Reed and Sue and mouthed 'hospital', giving them a confused look. His attention snapped back to the phone. "Wait what? How? Well is she ok?"

"Merc…" Sue said, looking at Reed. Reed nodded and they kept their eyes on Johnny.

"Yeah ok…we'll be there in a few minutes. Yeah I guess." Johnny said. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ok…thanks. Bye." He hung up the phone. "Merc is in the hospital. Someone saw her faint on the sidewalk and they called 911."

"Someone's gotta tell Ben." Reed said.

"Tell me what?" Ben asked, coming in through the stairwell door.

"Merc is in the hospital…we'll explain on the way." Sue said. They all rushed out of the apartment.

He stood over her, his silver eyes roaming over her prone body. He knew she knew he was there but refused to open her eyes. The one person in the whole city that had noticed his arrival was this small, seemingly powerless girl? He tilted his head, his eyes returning to her face and he leaned closer.

"…she seems fine…just suffering from exhaustion and lack of food in her system." He froze, his face only inches from that of the woman lying on the hospital bed. He turned his head and looked at the door. He straightened and looked back at the woman to see her eyes, finally, opened.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Shh…" He said, pressing a silver finger against his equally silver mouth and smirking. Her eyes widened and both of them looked at the door as it opened, revealing four very upset people and a doctor.

"…and now she's awake." The doctor said.

"God, Merc. Are you ok?" Johnny asked, hurrying to the bed side. Merc looked at him then at the spot where, only a second earlier the silver man stood. Why had he been watching her? Her eyes returned to Johnny. "Merc?"

"Like the doctor said…" Merc said, slowly. "I'm just tired." Johnny put a hand on her forehead then slid it down to her cheek. Merc blinked and looked at him.

"We need to talk, babe." Johnny said.

* * *

So there you go. Mr. Silver Surfer makes his subtly grand entrance…or something like that. 


	15. I Want it Back

**I Want it Back**

Holy shit the last chapter got more reviews then any of the other ones. That was…wow.

* * *

Merc scowled as she sat in her bed, the blanket down around her waist with her back against the headboard and her arms crossed. She had to spend the night and the hospital and now Johnny had made her promise not to leave her room while he went and got her ice cream. Having him fuss over her for the first time in…well…a while, was really weird. He didn't even fuss that much when they were in the med bay at the Von Doom center. Of course, he was more interested in snow boarding then but still…

"Hey…" Johnny said, coming back into the room. "I told you we had bubble gum ice cream." Merc sighed and smiled and slightly. Johnny handed over the bowl and then sat down on the bed. Merc watched him as he watched her slowly eat the ice cream. He had said that they had to talk but yet he hadn't brought up anything.

"OK you're creeping me out." Merc said.

"Sorry…" Johnny said. He looked up at her face. "The doctor said you fainted because of exhaustion…and lack of food in your system."

"Oh…" Merc said, looking down at the bowl in her hands. "That would explain why it seems like you put practically the whole container of ice cream into a bowl."

"Mercy, what are you doing?" Johnny asked. "What's going on?"

"I don't know." Merc said, looking up. "What's going on with you? I don't see you anymore. If I knew fainting in the streets would get your attention I would have done it a week ago."

"I don't know either." Johnny said. "It's…it's weird."

"You said this wouldn't happen." Merc said. Johnny tilted his head. "You said nothing would change…but everything is changing."

"Mercy, I'm sorry." Johnny said.

"What's going on, Johnny?" Merc asked. "First I feel this weird thing and then I wake up in the hospital with some…silver guy standing over me and…"

"Wait what?" Johnny asked. "Merc, there was no one in that room when we came in."

"But he was there." Merc said. "It's…god I can't do this! I need my damn powers back."

"They'll kill you though!" Johnny said.

"Johnny I'm practically killing myself here." Merc said. She put the bowl down and rubbed her hands together, trying to get them warm again after absorbing the cold from the ice cream. Johnny put his hands around hers and heated them slightly.

"You can't…" He said.

"Who are you to say what I can and can't do?" Merc asked, pulling her hands away from him.

"You're very concerned boyfriend who nearly had a stroke when he found out you were in the hospital!" Johnny said.

"Oh now you're concerned!" Merc said, her voice rising. "Where was this concern a month ago?"

"You know I don't have an answer for that!" Johnny said. "God, Merc! Stop turning things around on me."

"Make me!" Merc yelled. Johnny's head snapped forward as if he had been smacked in the back of it. Both of their eyes widened as Johnny slowly lifted a hand to the back of his head.

"Ow." He said. "What was that?"

"I don't know." Merc said, shaking her head. "I…I wanted to do but…" They stared at each other.

A few minutes later Merc was back getting her head scanned as Sue and Reed worked things. Ben and Johnny stood to the side. Once the scan was done, Johnny helped Merc sit up and everyone looked at Reed and Sue who were looking over the readings.

"This…this is so weird." Sue said.

"What?" Ben asked.

"Mercy…move this." Sue said, putting the stack of papers down. Merc looked at it and focused. The stack shifted towards her slightly and then toppled off the table.

"Her…her powers are returning." Reed said.

"What? How?" Johnny asked.

"It looks as if the machine didn't actually get rid of them." Reed said. "It just blocked them."

"So what?" Merc asked. "The machine put up walls and now my powers are breaking them down?"

"It seems that way." Reed said.

"Makes sense I guess." Merc said, shrugging. "I've been hearing little bits of things and I'm really starting to believe that people aren't speaking them."

"But doesn't this mean that…" Johnny started. Everyone looked at him then they all looked at something else.

"We're not sure." Sue said, finally.

"Well then we gotta…we gotta do something to…" Johnny said.

"No." Merc said. "We won't do anything." Johnny looked at her. "If they come back…they come back. And if they start doing what they were doing…then I'll stop using them. I know about it. So it's not like I'm going to unwittingly use my powers and willingly give myself headaches and killing myself." Merc reached out and put her hand against Johnny's cheek. "You gotta trust me here, Johnny." She smiled slightly before sliding off the table and going down the hall to the bedrooms.

"She's got a point." Ben said. "She's knows pretty much everything. So she's not going to try and kill herself just to do things the easy way." Johnny looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Kid, you've been friends with her for years now. Ever since Reed and Sue started dating. You know her better then the rest of us."

"You're her uncle." Johnny said.

"Doesn't mean she opens up." Ben said. "You've pretty much the only person she tells everything to. Maybe you should go talk to her and…" Everyone looked up when Merc came back with a few books and a bag, trying to get the books into the bag. "Where are you going?"

"Just because I was in the hospital for a day doesn't mean I'm gonna miss classes." Merc said. Ben and Johnny looked at each other. Ben nodded towards Merc and Johnny looked confused. "Besides I got some things due, remember."

"Right." Ben said. He nodded again and Johnny still didn't get it. _Just offer a frigging ride…_

"Johnny…" Merc said, picking up one both Ben's gestures and what he thought. "You wanna give me a ride?"

"Uh…sure." Johnny said, finally getting what Ben was going on about. Merc giggled which actually surprised all of them but she just shrugged and zipped up her bag. "Let's get going."

"Ok…see you all later." Merc said. They left and Reed, Sue and Ben all looked at each other.

"What did they talk about?" Sue asked. "When we got her back from the hospital."

"I have no idea." Ben said. "But they seem fine now."

"Ok now you're freaking me out." Merc said.

"Why?" Johnny asked, stopping at a red light.

"Because you're actually driving responsibly." Merc said. "That's why. I'm completely fine so you don't have to act as if I'm gonna break." She looked at the car next to them.

"Hey baby…how about you leave flame boy and come play with us." One of the guys in the car said. Merc made a face and Johnny looked over at the other car.

"Oh please." Merc said. Johnny looked at her before winking. He put his hand out the window and Merc frowned before she noticed flames and giggled again. The light changed and they drove, leave the other car behind. "What makes me think you've done that before?"

"Yeah." Johnny said. "Back when I was driving to the x-games. Some guy did the same thing. He asked me…where Sue and Ben were but he didn't say their names. I'm not repeating it." Merc smiled. "So…I'm freaking you out?"

"Yep." Merc said, nodding. Johnny looked at her then smiled before turning a corner and starting to go faster. Merc's smile grew slightly as they sped through the streets towards the school.

They got there in half the time it usually took. Johnny leaned against the car and Merc stood by him, not wanting to go in to class yet. Johnny pulled her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry for the way I've been acting lately." He said, kissing her cheek. "Can you forgive me?"

"We'll see." Merc said. "It'll probably take time but I think it'll work if you stop running off."

"How about dinner tonight?" Johnny asked. "We can go out…or kick everyone out for a few hours."

"Hmm…the second one sounds nice." Merc said. "Then I can just sit around in my pajamas." Johnny laughed and kissed her. Merc hesitated for a second before putting her arms around his neck. After half a minute she pulled away. "I have a class to get to hot shot."

"I'll be here when it's done ok?" Johnny said.

"You better be." Merc said. "I have no other way of getting home." Johnny laughed and kissed her quickly again before Merc went off into the school.

* * *

Ok so this chapter is short. Her powers are coming back and she's gonna have another meeting with Mr. Silver Surfer in the next chapter. 


	16. Happy Oh No

**Happy Oh No**

Ok so now it's Sue's birthday and, like I said, Mr. Silver Surfer makes another entrance and…back comes Merc's powers!!

* * *

"If I'm not very celebratory, it's because I'm tired." Merc said, hugging Sue. She had gone to her classes then taught her dance class and now they were standing on the roof of the Baxter Building where Sue's birthday party was happening.

"No doubt." Sue said. "Take it easy there, Mercy." Merc smiled and handed Sue her present before wandering off to find Johnny talking with Ben and Alicia.

"Hey kid…been wondering when you were gonna show." Ben said.

"Hey, unlike most of you guys…I have school and work to do." Merc said. She looked at Alicia. "So Alicia, how's my possible-future-aunt doing?"

"I'm fine, possible-future-niece." Alicia said, laughing. Merc smiled and allowed Johnny to wrap his arms around her.

"If Ben could blush…I'd bet he'd be doing it right now." Johnny said. Ben was the only one that didn't laugh at that and Merc put her own arms around Johnny, cuddling closer to him.

"Well Uncle Ben, hope to it…I want cousins." Merc said. That got Johnny laughing so much he fell over, bringing Merc with him. Alicia went red and Ben glared at the younger man. "I'm…I'm joking." Merc managed to say between laughing fits.

"Ok…we're gonna leave you kids alone…come on, Benny." Alicia said. Ben led her away from the laughing couple.

"Oh…god." Johnny said. "That…that was good…well done, babe."

"I learn from the best." Merc said, standing up. Johnny stood up as well. "Cause you know…Ashton Kutcher…amazing."

"What?" Johnny asked.

"Well…you know…the show Punk'd." Merc said.

"You don't watch Punk'd." Johnny said.

"Damn…I thought you wouldn't know that." Merc said.

"I know everything." Johnny said. He put his arms around Merc's waist. "You don't like Ashton Kutcher because you really couldn't care less about Demi Moore and now they're married so you feel that way about both of them and…"

"Ok, I get it." Merc said. "All knowing boyfriend makes a point."

"Thank you." Johnny said. "Now…I get a reward."

"Says who?" Merc asked.

"You." Johnny said. "Remember…you said every time I'm right I get a reward until New Years."

"Oh for…fine." Merc said. "What do you want?"

"This…" Johnny said, kissing her. Merc smiled slightly before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" Everyone present shouted as Sue, laughing and rolling her eyes, blew out candles on her cake about ten minutes later. Merc clapped loudly since she had to clap for herself and Johnny who, again, had his arms around her waist.

"Now…this doesn't look like a store bought cake." Sue said.

"You know that day I pretty much forced you to stay out of the kitchen?" Merc said.

"Yeah." Sue said.

"I let twiddle-dee and twiddle-dum here help make it." Merc said, pointing first at Reed and then at Johnny. "This just proves…you two know nothing about baking." Everyone laughed and Johnny pinched Merc's waist. "Hey! I can slap you, you know." Johnny grabbed her hands. "That's not the way I meant."

"Ow!" Johnny said, his hips moving as if he was the one that got pinched. "Don't do that."

"Too…" Merc started but stopped and looked around. Something felt odd. She got herself out of Johnny's hold and walked slowly away from where everyone was gathered. She heard her name called but didn't pay attention as she leaned over the side of the building, trying to figure out what had caught her attention.

"Merc?" Johnny asked. Reed, Sue and Ben all stood by him, all of them watching the youngest in their group.

"What's she looking for?" Sue asked. Johnny shook his head.

"Merc what…" Ben started but instantly stopped as something seemed to shoot across the sky and grabbed Merc, yanking her off the roof and flying away. "Johnny!"

"I'm on it." Johnny said, running forward and flaming on just as he jumped over the side.

(((A/N: Heehee, bit of the trailer there.)))

"AH! You?" Merc said, looking at the silver man that had grabbed her and was now flying her all over New York by the looks of it. "Let me go, let me go, let me go!!" She looked behind them and saw the fire following them. There was Johnny…things would be ok now. Everything darkened and she looked back ahead to see them in a tunnel. With a small scream she closed her eyes and was actually glad with the grip on her tightened. When things got brighter she didn't open her eyes.

"Goddamnit!" Johnny muttered, losing track of the other flyer as he dodged around vehicles. He spotted the silver spot ahead and hurried forward. Whoever this guy was, he was so going to pay for kidnapping his girlfriend.

"How are we going to find them?" Sue asked. "They could be across the city by now."

"We look." Reed said. "And it shouldn't be that hard. I put a flame resistant tracking device into Johnny's suit the other day."

"And how do we track the tracking device?" Sue asked. Reed only answered that with a smile. He went over to what looked like a giant shed and slid open the doors, revealing the newly finished Fantastic Five car with their symbol on the front.

"With this." Reed said.

"You are amazing." Sue said.

Five minutes later they were all in their uniforms and sitting in the car which was now flying over the city. Sue was keeping track of the homing signal and Reed was driving while Ben…well…he was pretty much just enjoying the scenery.

"We're getting closer." Sue said.

"I can see that." Reed said, looking at the little screen.

"Turn left up here." Sue said.

"Why would I do that?" Reed asked.

"Just do it before you miss it!" Sue said.

"But if we go straight we can catch up quicker…" Reed said.

"Reed turn left now!" Sue said, making a small force field and using it to push Reed's hands in order to get the car turned. Reed glared at her slightly once they turned the way she wanted but she just smiled back.

"Ok…this is really getting annoying." Johnny said. He put on a surge of power and gained up on the silver guy…just as he turned around and reached out, grabbing Johnny's throat.

(((A/N: I know this is from the trailer but I like this idea so I'm gonna use it.)))

To his surprise, Johnny flamed off. That scared him a bit because he had no clue what was going on. He tried to loosen the grip the silver man had on his throat.

"Where is she?" Johnny asked.

"Who?" The silver man asked.

"The girl you took…MY girlfriend." Johnny said.

"She's not her." The silver man said. His grip tightened and Johnny focused on trying to get him off. It was then he noticed that they were pretty far from the ground.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"The silver surfer." The silver man said, just before letting go of Johnny who went unconscious as he fell.

Merc stood against the wall she was left at. She would have been long gone by now if the stupid silver man didn't do something to her feet. She tried everything she could but there was no way to get out. She looked up as something big and blue zoomed overhead and she stared at it.

"What the hell was that?" Merc asked herself. She shook her head and then screamed slightly as she suddenly fell over. Her feet were free from whatever bound them. "Oh goody…that just means one thing." She sat up and looked at the silver man who now stood before her. "Why do you have to bug me? There are…a million people in this city. Can't you bug one of them?" She yelped as he grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. "I get enough of this from my boyfriend I don't need some shiny silver dude doing it too."

"Your boyfriend…" The silver surfer said.

"Yeah…the guy chasing after us…the one on fire." Merc said.

"He will be no trouble now." Surfer said. Merc's eyes widened.

"What did you do?" She asked. She got no answer as he took off flying again with her tightly in his hold.

"Johnny…come on…Johnny wake up." Sue said, lightly hitting Johnny's face. They had gotten there just before he was about to hit the ground and Reed stretched like crazy to grab him on time. Now they were all on the ground and Sue was crouched next to her brother. "Johnny…Johnny please!"

"Move aside Susie." Ben said. Sue moved and Ben, with his hands cupped, stood where she just was. He opened his hands and dropped a bunch of water on Johnny's face. The younger man spluttered and sat up, coughing slightly. Ben smirked. "Works every time."

"Are you ok?" Sue asked, throwing her arms around Johnny who gingerly reached up and patted her shoulder.

"What happened?" Reed asked. Johnny explained about chasing the surfer around the city, loosing him for a moment (which he guessed was when the surer dropped Merc) and then getting grabbed and hauled into the air before he went unconscious on the fall back down.

"He made you flame off?" Sue asked. Johnny nodded, rubbing his throat to check for bruises.

"So…wait…where's Mercy?" Ben asked. Everyone looked at each other and Johnny looked down at his legs.

"Yeah this is sooo the way to win over a girl…NOT!!" Merc yelled, trying to get her arms free from the shackles. She had tried her powers but she didn't want to risk the surfer seeing her do it so she couldn't build up enough concentration. As far as she knew…he thought that she was just some weak, powerless girl and that's what she wanted him to keep thinking until she could figure out a way to get out. "HELLO!! ARE YOU EVEN HERE STILL?!" She had been left alone in a windowless room, chained to a wall. She was getting really pissed off. Merc pulled on the shackles again and then yelped as she felt something dig into her wrist. She stopped and watched as a thin red line of blood ran down from under the cuff and over her hand. "Great…just great."

* * *

I'm gonna leave it there. I really don't have a clue of what to do next so I'm gonna need some help with that. 


	17. Transfer

**

* * *

**

Lol…new preview for FF2 and what happens to Johnny is hilarious. So I'm gonna use that!

* * *

"Why are we running tests on me when we should be looking for Merc?" Johnny asked, looking at the helmet on his head.

"We have to find out how he made you flame off." Reed said.

"But what if he's doing something to her?" Johnny asked.

"We're not taking you anywhere if your powers aren't working anymore." Sue said. Johnny rolled his eyes.

"Done." Reed said. The helmet was taken off and Johnny moved to sit on the table behind them. Ben crossed his arms. Reed looked through all the results.

"Well?" Ben asked.

"Tell me something good here Reed." Johnny said.

"Your encounter with the surfer has affected your molecules." Reed said.

"Oook." Johnny said. "And that means…"

"It could cause you to temporarily switch powers." Reed said. There was a pause where everyone looked at each other.

"Do you need a volunteer to test it?" Ben asked.

"Wait, what no!" Johnny said.

"No, no, no…Ben…" Sue said. Ben ignored them and put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. It glowed and everyone stared as he stepped away from him and started changing. Sue and Reed were watching Ben change back to normal…they didn't even notice Johnny change into a rock…until he yelled.

"OH MY GOD!!!" Johnny said. Sue looked at him. Ben laughed and snapped his fingers, catching his thumb on fire…just like what Johnny did when he first learned about his powers.

(((A/N: That parts in the trailer…I just changed a bit.)))

"Ha!" Ben said. Everyone looked at Johnny as he looked at himself in a mirror.

"Oh come on!" Johnny said. He looked at everyone. "Reed, come on man, how long is temporarily? Please tell me it's a short amount of time."

"Could be a few minutes…could be a few hours." Reed said, shrugging.

"On the plus side…you can still come help us find Merc." Sue said.

"How is that a plus?" Johnny asked. Sue and Reed both seemed to find it hard not to laugh whereas Ben…was just cracking up.

Merc twisted her hand around in the shackle so that she could see her palm. Little crescents marked it from where she had stuck her nails into her skin when she was mad earlier.

"Ok…let's give this one more shot." Merc muttered. She moved herself so that she could bring her hands together. She focused on them. Within a few seconds the shackles broke off and fell to the ground noisily. "Ah damn it." The door flew open as she stood up.

"How…" The Surfer asked, stepping into the room. Merc threw her hands up and he stopped moving. Confused, the Surfer looked down at his feet then up at her.

"Well what do ya know…my powers are back." Merc said. "And no headaches. Thank god!" She flicked her wrist and the Surfer was thrown backwards out of the room. She put her hands together and looked up at the ceiling. "Thank you so fucking much!" Then she bolted out of the room and out another door. She had no clue where she was going, just as long as she put space between herself and the manic that kidnapped her.

She found herself outside in a court yard. Deciding now would be a good time to test out her powers, she looked back the way she came and it didn't take long for her to sense where the Silver Surfer was. He was moving around, trying to find her more then likely. Merc frowned at how easy it was to pick up on that. She then focused on trying to contact any of the others.

_Oh god…I can't believe this happened to me! I'm gonna kill Ben as soon as this all switches back._ Johnny said.

_Johnny!_ Merc said. She heard Johnny scream and couldn't help but laugh.

_What the hell? Merc?_ Johnny said.

_Yeah. What are you going on about? Why do you wanna kill my uncle this time?_ Merc asked.

_Uh…no reason._ Johnny said.

_Johnny…_ Merc said, warningly.

_Where are you?"_ Johnny asked.

_No fucking clue. But wherever I am has a pretty nice courtyard._ Merc said.

_I see that._ Johnny said.

_You see that? Wait…how?_ Merc asked.

_I don't know…I closed my eyes and I can kinda see what I'm guessing you're seeing._ Johnny said.

_Holy shit how fucking strong are my powers now?_ Merc asked. She heard noises and turned back to the door she came through.

_I dunno. Mercy we're in this car thing that Reed made._ Johnny said.

_Oook._ Merc said, watching the door.

_And it flies…so maybe if you can get out of that courtyard and stand on a roof or something, we'd be able to find you._ Johnny said.

_Brilliant plan, baby. One problem though._ Merc said. _These walls are smooth, there's nothing to hold onto._

_Use your powers._ Johnny said._ You did say that you can kinda sorta fly right?_

_More or less._ Merc said.

_Well if you're powers are stronger then before then it should be easy to do a bit of levitating or something._ Johnny said.

_If I get hurt…you are so getting your ass kicked._ Merc said. She took her eyes off the door and looked down at herself. She remembered making the elevator move faster back when Ben had been turned back to normal. She turned her hands so that her palms were up, glancing at the cuts she had on her wrists from the shackles, then lifted them up which made herself rise up as well.

"This is so freaky. How can Johnny do this on a regular basis?" Merc muttered. She rose up slowly, looking up for any possibility for a ledge or something to stand on. She found a ledge and landed herself onto it. She pressed her back to the wall and looked down. She could feel the Silver Surfer getting closer. She shivered before resuming her rise to the roof. Merc reached her rising peak as she was within grabbing reach of the roof. She quickly grabbed hold and hung there for a while before pulling herself up just as the door was banged open below.

"That girl is more trouble then she's worth it appears." The Surfer said. Merc looked over the edge and frowned. Maybe there was a purpose for him hunting her down…but she honestly did not want to know it. She looked across the courtyard to another door and did a mental search through there before making something fall over. The Surfer was through that door in an instant.

"Ok now what?" Merc muttered, standing up and crossing her arms as she walked across the roof, her hair blowing around her head…more then it should. She looked up to see something blue hovering over her. Raising an eyebrow she stepped to the side as it came down.

"You called for a pick up?" Johnny asked. Merc giggled and climbed in next to him in the middle of the car. "Pretty sweet ride huh?"

"Yeah." Merc said. "But let's go before this Surfer dude figures out that…why do you look like Ben??" She turned around and looked at her Uncle who looked normal but had the occasional flame on his body. "Oook…"

"You tell us what happened and we'll tell you what happened." Sue said. "Deal?"

"Deal." Merc said. She looked at Johnny. "I hope you know that as long as you look like that…I ain't kissing you."

"We haven't figured out how long 'temporarily' is." Reed said.

"Oh…ok." Merc said.

"Go ahead." Johnny said, crossing his arms and frowning. Merc let into the urge and laughed, which made Ben start laughing all over again. Johnny just sulked the whole ride back to the Baxter.

* * *

Another question!!! Should Merc be able to do the transfer thing too?? 


	18. Upside Down

**Upside Down**

I just saw the FF2 movie (June 16th) and dudes it was awesome!!! I love when Sue and Reed finally get married, it was so cute. I'm gonna basically make things start working the same way as the movie from now on but of course I'm gonna change it…I kinda hafta so like…yeah.

* * *

"Ok so Merc's mental power has blocked the Surfer from affecting her the way it affected Johnny." Reed said.

"Mmhmm…" Merc said, smirking at Johnny who was a rock again.

"Shut up." Johnny said.

"Not my fault you went for the group hug thing when I was hugging my uncle." Merc said. "But I do want my powers back soon."

"Maybe I'll just keep them Miss Smarty-pants." Johnny said. Everyone stared at him. Merc looked at Ben who picked up on what she wanted even though she couldn't telepathically tell him. He didn't seem overly happy but he went forward with her and both slapped their hands on Johnny's shoulders.

"You threaten to keep my powers one more time and you are so getting your butt kicked." Merc said. Mentally whacking Johnny in the back of the head.

"Can you stop doing that!" Johnny said, rubbing his skull.

"What I want to know is why he took Merc in the first place." Sue said.

"I dunno…he looked surprised when he saw that I had broken free." Merc said. "So I'm ruling out him wanting to use me for my powers." There was a beeping noise and Merc looked around.

"Oh…" Reed said. He rolled his chair back and pushed a button on an intercom. "What's up, Jimmy?"

"There's some people coming to see you Mr. Richards." Jimmy said. Merc raised an eyebrow as Reed thanked him and released the button.

"What?" Reed asked.

"Ok I was gone for like…a day." Merc said. "Where did the intercom-y stuff come from?"

"Been here for a while." Reed said. Merc frowned. "You…didn't have your powers and…"

"Got it." Merc said. Johnny patted her on the back a few times.

"Don't worry about it, babe." He said. Merc glared at him as he walked backwards away from her, grinning. When nothing happened her eyes narrowed.

"JOHNNY STORM, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!" Merc yelled. Johnny bolted and Merc chased after him. Johnny halted just as the elevator door opened and Merc collided into his back, causing their powers to transfer again and both of them fall over. Reed, Sue and Ben came around the corner and stopped. Everyone watched the couple rolling around on the floor, different parts of their bodies glowing and catching on fire as they fought.

"Knock it off!" Johnny said, trying to block the blows from his girlfriend.

"You were the one who went and took my goddamn powers and you are such a jerk right now!" Merc said. A loud cough interrupted them and Merc sat up, straddling Johnny's hips, and both looked at the military personal who just entered. "Umm…hi."

"You are…um…on fire." The man up front said. Johnny looked at Merc and saw flames on her shoulders and arms. He grabbed her hips and transferred their powers again before pushing at her and she stood up.

"Who are…?" Sue started.

"General Hager." Reed said. Everyone looked at him. Merc slapped Johnny who slapped her back. "What can I do for you?"

"We have a problem on our hands." The General said.

They re-entered the lab, Merc and Johnny still swapping slaps. The other two military personal did not seem amused by this but the General seemed to ignore them. He dropped an envelope on the desk and Reed opened it before passing out the pictures it contained.

"These were recovered by our satellite." The General said.

"It's…" Sue said.

"We aren't sure what it is." The General said.

"We are." Merc said, smirking as she slapped Johnny upside the head without even looking up from the photo in her hands. Neither of them were sure who had whose powers so they were just resorting to physical attacks. Johnny hit her back in the arm.

"Oh? Enlighten us." The General said.

"We're calling him the Silver Surfer." Merc said. "I just got out of being held captive by him and hot shot here…" She hit Johnny with a burning hand. "Got grabbed by him and now he has power transferring skills. I got grabbed by him and I don't get anything." Johnny grabbed her hand as she went to hit him again.

"Ok…enough." He said.

"Sorry baby." Merc said.

"Yeah, me too." Johnny said. He put his arm around her and she put hers around him, causing a double switch so that their powers stayed with their rightful owner.

"Are they…always…like this?" The General asked.

"Oh yeah." Ben said.

"We need you to track it." The General said. Merc looked at Reed then at General Hager, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh you so don't wanna be here." She said.

"Merc…no telepathy." Reed said.

"Well then what's the point of it?" Merc asked, tossing the pictures in her hand onto the desk and stepping away from Johnny. "I didn't even read his mind. Remember I'm good at the whole body language reading thing." General Hager cleared his throat and shifted a bit.

"Well, as I was saying…we need you to track it." He said.

"Shouldn't be too hard." Reed said.

"Yeah…just use me as bait." Merc muttered, crossing her arms. Johnny looked at sympathetically and would have replaced his arm around her but she stepped away again.

"We won't use you as bait…we'll think of something else." Sue said.

"We'll have your tracker ready soon." Reed said. The general looked doubtful but noticed the glare Merc was giving him so he just nodded and left with his comrades. Sue sighed and sat down.

"This is near hopeless." She said.

"Aww sis, don't think that way." Johnny said. Without even thinking he put his hand on her shoulder. Sue yelped and jumped away, just as she caught on fire.

"Oh my god." Merc said. Sue rose into the air, yelling. Johnny turned invisible and Merc laughed as she heard him think about how dead he was going to be.

"Johnny get back here!" Sue screamed.

"He didn't go anywhere." Merc said, putting her hand on Johnny's shoulder to keep him still.

Bad idea.

As soon as she did that, she turned invisible as Johnny reappeared.

"JOHNNY!!!" Both girls yelled.

"Ok, ok…I can fix this." Johnny said. He held his hand out and moved it. "Merc where you are."

"Einstein…I'm behind you." Merc said. Johnny spun around and grabbed her. Merc became visible and smacked Johnny's hand, which had grabbed at the completely wrong spot. Johnny grabbed Sue's foot and she dropped to the ground, naked. Merc coughed and looked away from her. Sue gasped and turned invisible.

"Why me?" She muttered.

It took Reed only a few days to get the tracker thing set up and he got all the settings into his PDA so that when it found the Surfer, he would know. Merc and Sue were up on the roof, looking around at what arrangements they could do for the wedding.

"This just doesn't fit." Merc said. "The roof is just so…tacky."

"Well where did your parents get married?" Sue asked.

"How the hell should I know?" Merc said. "All I know is that they're married. They could have gone through one of those damn marriage drive-thru things." Sue giggled.

"Ok, ok, point taken." She said. Merc ran her hand through her hair to pull it out of her face as the wind whipped it around.

"Girls! Reed's figured something out." Johnny said, running up to the door. Sue and Merc looked at each other before following him to the lab.

"It's all in a numerical order." Reed said. Merc didn't even bother paying attention to what he said as she looked at the locations the Surfer had gone through. The only thing she really heard was the destruction and something about every place the Surfer touches, eight days later the planet dies.

"That gives us like four days now." Merc said. "He shows up, kidnaps me in one day, the next day I get back and we get talked to by some army guys and it took you a couple of days to build the machine, which, by the way, good job."

"I know how much time it gives us, Merc." Reed said. "But look here…all these places he's been…this is where he'll be next." He had a zoomed image of the next location.

"Oh boy." Johnny said.

* * *

Ok so because I saw the movie and I like this part and I made up a part for Merc in it, I'm gonna put it into the next chapter. If you saw the movie then I hope you realize what spot I'm talking about. 


	19. Trying to Kill Us

**Trying to Kill Us**

Well this chapter is gonna be mean to Johnny.

* * *

"Wow…can we go on that thing later?" Merc asked, pointing at the giant Ferris Wheel like thing on the edge of the water.

"I don't think so." Reed said.

"Don't get to have any fun." Merc grumbled. She frowned as she looked down at the water. "Umm…is it supposed to go all…sink-y like that?"

"Definitely not." Sue said. The helicopter they were in landed and all five of them ran out. "Johnny wait here." Johnny stopped and everyone else kept going as the Ferris wheel broke. Sue and Merc stopped between it and the water, and threw their hands up.

"Ok, if I have stronger powers now…why does this seem harder to do then the fire truck was?" Merc asked.

"Probably cause it's bigger?" Sue stated. Merc stuck her tongue out at her. Ben lifted the wheel and Reed stretched quite a bit to hold it up. The girls started to back up as their combined strengths weren't holding it up very well. Merc jumped and looked over her shoulder as the Surfer came out of the hole in the water.

"What…" She muttered. The Surfer looked at all of them and shook his head before flying off.

"Mercy…little help here." Sue said. Merc refocused on the wheel.

"No Johnny!" Reed yelled. Both girls looked up to see Reed's stretched body catch fire and Johnny fall. The wheel dropped as Reed unwillingly let go of it, forcing the girls to step back. One of Merc's hands shot down to keep Sue floating above the water as they continued to step back.

"Oh no." Merc said. Reed sort of hovered above the wheel's post, on fire.

"Ben, lift it higher!" He said.

"I'll try." Ben said.

"Bit more effort girls." Reed said.

"Bite me." Merc said. "I have one hand focused on this." Sue pushed her hands forward a bit more and the wheel lined up nicely with the post. Reed shot fire at it to connect everything back together. Merc and Sue stepped off the water and fell to their knees. "Ow, my head hurts." Ben walked over to them and Merc looked over to where Johnny was standing up. Reed had landed and flamed off. He ran past Johnny, stopping briefly to put his hand on the younger man's shoulder to switch powers back, then ran up to them and helped Sue up. Ben helped Merc.

"Are you ok?" Reed asked. Both girls nodded. Johnny came over. "Johnny stop before you kill someone." Johnny froze and Merc's eyes shot over to Reed.

"Excuse me? What the hell, Reed!" She said. Everyone looked at her.

"He could have gotten you two killed." Reed said.

"It wasn't his fault." Merc said. "He was trying to get the Surfer."

"If he hadn't come towards the wheel…" Reed said.

"Shut up!" Merc said. "God…it was a little mistake and you seemed to have pretty damn good control over his powers so there wasn't much damage done really. It might have even worked out for the best that way." Nobody said anything. Merc rubbed her temples to try and rid herself of at least some of the headache she had achieved in the last little while.

"Look at that." Ben said, suddenly. Everyone looked at the water…or at least, it had been water before. Now it looked frozen and black. Merc shivered as she thought about that covering the entire earth within the next few days. She looked at Johnny then suddenly ran at him and hugged him. Johnny flinched, startled, as Merc wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, crying for no known reason. She felt Johnny wrap an arm around her and his other hand rested on the back of her head, sort of petting her hair, trying to calm her down.

Merc didn't calm down until they rejoined the General. She had no intention to have him or any of his personnel see her cry. She stood between Johnny and Ben as the General went on about something or other, bringing up something about Johnny nearly getting them killed.

_Well this should be enjoyable._

Her eyes snapped up as she heard a familiar voice in her head.

"I've got someone else on the job." Hager said.

"Who?" Reed asked.

"Victor." Merc said. As she said that, the last person any of them wanted to see walked into sight. Ben seemed to growl before running forward, grabbing Victor by the throat and slamming him into the wall. "Uncle Ben!"

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't…" Ben started to threaten.

"He's here on my invitation." Hager said. Merc looked at Reed.

"Let him go, Ben." Reed said. Ben looked back at him then released Victor, stepping away from him as well.

"Well…that actually was how I pictured this meeting." Victor said, trying to make it look as if being pinned to the wall hadn't disturbed him in the least.

"What are you doing alive?" Sue asked.

"I don't think we actually killed him." Merc said. "I mean…all we did was…melt him then solidify him."

"Exactly." Victor said. Ben shoved his way past Victor and resumed his spot between Merc and Sue. "Let's just get one thing straight. I hate you." Victor's eyes lingered on Sue. "All of you. I would like nothing better then to see you lose…but I'm here to help." Merc's eyes narrowed.

A few minutes later they were watched a clip of the Surfer attacking Victor. Merc crossed her arms as it got put in slow motion.

"He's drawing power from his board." She said.

"Exactly." Victor said.

"I've seen it." Merc said. Everyone looked at her. "Remember, the guy kidnapped me." She tucked her hair behind her ear.

"We just have to figure out a way to separate him from his board." Reed said. "Any ideas, Mercy?"

"Nope…" Merc said. "I never saw him without the damn thing attached to his feet. Wherever it was that he took me has some pretty damn big doors." She ran her hand through her hair, pulling it back out of her face.

"Separating him from his board could take away his powers." Sue said.

"Exactly." Reed said. "Just have to find the way to do it."

Merc glared as she watched Reed and Victor working in the lab. It wasn't the fact that they had been doing the same thing for almost two hours straight now, or the fact that Reed pretty much ignored her when she tried to ask something. It was more of the fact that Victor was in, what she liked to consider to be a private area that only the Fantastic Five members should be allowed to enter…but apparently not. She sighed and walked out of the lab.

"Whoa, what's got you so uptight?" Johnny asked, walking past Merc.

"Just…having Victor here and…god, I don't trust him." Merc said. "And I can't for the life of me figure out what he's up to."

"You try reading his mind yet?" Johnny asked. Merc looked at him as if she was ready to kill him. "Right…stupid question. Sorry."

"He's figured out a way to block it or something." Merc said. "This is seriously creeping me out here." Johnny went to put his arm around her but stopped and stepped away. Merc looked at him.

"Maybe I should…not…touch…for now." Johnny said. Merc made some disbelieving noise before walking past him. She found Ben and walked over to him.

"Uncle Ben…" Merc whined, sounding like a little kid. Ben turned around. "I need a hug." Her uncle actually chuckled a bit as she put her arms around him as best as she could. "It's not funny…Johnny seems so terrified of touching me now because of what Reed said and I don't like having Victor here because it's creeping me out not knowing what he's thinking."

"Well with the whole Johnny thing…it'll turn around, it has to." Ben said, doing the same thing Johnny did earlier with one hand around Merc's waist and the other in her head. "And as for the Vic thing…well I don't know. I don't trust him being here either but we gotta trust Reed on this."

"After what he said to my boyfriend?" Merc asked, lifting her head from Ben's chest.

"Yeah, kid." Ben said. "Still have to. Think of all the stuff he's done right."

"Yeah I guess." Merc said. "Johnny is so right about him though."

"Why?" Ben asked.

"Remember back in the space station when he was getting you set up?" Merc asked. Ben nodded slowly. "And he said that Sue had a choice between Victor and Reed, and he called Reed the world's dumbest smart guy."

"I see your point…Tinkerbelle's right." Ben said. Merc giggled. "Feeling better now?"

"Yeah." Merc said. "Thanks."

"That's what I'm here for." Ben said. "Make you feel better when flame boy can't…and to clobber things." Merc laughed. "Anything else you need?"

"Yeah…Debbie was such an idiot." Merc said. Ben blinked, really not expecting that. "I mean come on…you promised her a bigger rock…and what rock is bigger then you?"

"You're spending too much time with Johnny." Ben said. Merc nodded. Ben rolled his eyes. "Go get yourself something to eat, don't think you've done that in a while."

"Good point." Merc said. She stepped away from him and went into the kitchen.

* * *

**PEOPLE READ THIS PLEASE AND THANK YOU!!!!!!!!**

Ok the reason I put that uncle/niece thing in there was because I didn't want to get into the next part without some help. I kinda wanna switch Merc and Sue around (you know…it's Sue in the movie that gets along with the Surfer but since we got Mercy now…). People who have seen the movie obviously know what I'm talking about (I hope) and even people who haven't seen it can still answer the question.


	20. All These Looks

**All These Looks**

I knew it was a good idea to switch Sue and Mercy. I mean, when you think about it, why wouldn't you?? If you can get Johnny jealous then…lol. I'm mean to him sometimes but he knows I love him.

* * *

A pulse.

Reed's brilliant plan revolved around some sort of pulses that would trap the Surfer and separate him from his board…

Or at least that's what Merc figured. She couldn't understand his science talk.

And of course, she gave Reed all the credit because Victor seemed to have been working on his own thing by that point. Her curiousity went to an all time high by then.

So now they were at one of the sink hole places in a forest, having just watched Reed stand up to the General (making Sue say that she was hot for him…and making Merc laugh at that statement as Johnny hugged Reed in order to be annoying).

"Wow." Merc said. "I'm just gonna say that the whole in the water at London so was NOT that big."

"Well you weren't standing right no the edge of it." Reed said. Everyone, except Sue, was holding what seemed to be giant square suitcases. The one Reed had, was the most complex and needed Sue's help with preparing it…at least that was Reed's excuse. "Ok…you all know what to do, go at it."

"Right captain." Merc and Johnny said at the same time. They smirked at each other and went in different directions. Ben went the same way as Johnny, leaving Merc to get to her destination by herself.

"Why are forests so big?" She muttered. She hadn't turned on her communicator yet, having not found a reason to really, so no one replied to her rhetorical question. She put her case down where Reed had told her and turned on her communicator, finally, as she popped open the case. She started humming as she crouched down by the case.

"Merc, stop humming." Reed said.

"I gotta do something." Merc replied. "Waiting is annoying. Hey, am I supposed to wait until a specific time?"

"No, just put it in whenever, preferably now." Reed said.

"Do you know how wrong that…" Merc said.

"Merc! Just do it." Reed said.

"Geez, ok, ok." Merc said. She heard Johnny laughing. "Shut up Johnny."

"It's funny, man." Johnny said. "Mine's good."

"So is mine." Ben said.

"Same here." Sue said. "We're just waiting for you now Mercy."

"Ok, ok, I'm going." Merc said. She reached over to the little tube by the globe but then froze. "Uh…guys."

"Yeah?" Four voices replied.

"He's here." Merc said, standing up as the Surfer came around and started towards her. She threw a hand up to stop him using her powers but that just seemed to slow him down, rather then stop him completely. "What the…" He looked at her, much like he did back when she was in the hospital, just not as close.

"Why are you trying to destroy our planet?" Merc asked, trying not to sound scared even though the lack of effect her powers had on the Surfer was fearful enough.

"I have no choice." The Surfer said, after a few seconds.

"What do you mean?" Merc asked.

"Merc!" Johnny said, coming out of trees behind her.

"Wait!" Merc said, throwing her hand backwards and stopping Johnny. She looked at the Surfer. "Why don't you have a choice?"

"I am not the destroyer." The Surfer said.

"Then who is?" Merc asked. The Surfer made no reply. "If you had a choice…would you stop?" There was, again, no reply, but the Surfer's gaze changed as he continued to stare at Merc and she was getting pretty uncomfortable.

"Um…Mercy." Johnny said. Merc slowly took her eyes off the Surfer and looked at her boyfriend. "We got a problem." She looked where he was pointing and saw a missile heading towards them. The Surfer looked and then did the strangest thing: He moved in front of Merc and pushed her back slightly before rising into the air and…absorbing the missile into his board.

"Ok that was cool." Merc said.

"Yeah, ok, he can absorb things." Johnny said. They jumped as more missiles were fired. "Merc, the tube…thingy."

"Oh right!" Merc said, dropping down next to the case again and picking the tube up from its little holder. She looked up at the Surfer then frowned before dropping the tube into the globe.

The effect was almost instant. The Surfer seemed to be having a spazz attack and his whole body appeared to be melting straight through the board. Merc stood up as he fell to the ground and, ignoring Johnny as he yelled after her, she ran through the forest towards the place the Surfer fell.

"…does it feel?" She heard Victor talking and finally came into the clearance where the Surfer was lying unconscious and Victor was standing over him.

"What the hell did you do?" Merc asked.

"What makes you think I did anything?" Victor asked.

"I don't have to read your mind to know you did something." Merc said, narrowing her eyes.

"You're far too suspicious for your own good." Victor said.

"Only when it's you I'm dealing with." Merc said. She flinched as other voices filled her head and the whole clearance was full of army personnel and the remaining Fantastic Five members. A few of the army guys lifted up the Surfer. "What are you going to do with him?" She wasn't quite sure why she was worried but knew that there must have been some good reason for it.

"Lock him up and run tests." Hager said. Merc glared at the man. "You five are to come with us."

"Who…us?" Johnny asked, pointing at himself and his teammates.

"Yes." Hager said.

"Are we prisoners now?" Johnny asked, some time later as the five of them sat in a room that the general had left them in and Merc had informed them that there was someone standing guard. She hadn't spoken since then, preferring to sit in her chair with her arms crossed and glare at the wall.

"It appears so." Reed said. Merc ignored them all, her powers outstretched, reaching around to try and find out what was going on. She was testing their boundaries. The voices in the room were blocked out in her mental sweep…that was until Johnny shook her a bit and their powers switched.

"JOHNNY!" Merc said.

"Sorry…you just looked about ready to murder the wall and you weren't responding." Johnny said.

"I should…" Merc said, then stopped. "Wait a minute…you just gave me an idea."

"Uh…ok." Johnny said.

"We have to find the Surfer." Merc said.

"That's what we've been saying." Reed said.

"Oh." Merc said. "Ok fill me in."

"We were asking you if you could find a way to figure out where he is." Reed said.

"That's what I was doing." Merc said.

"We were going to send Sue…" Reed said.

"No." Merc said. "I'm going."

"You can't." Johnny said, putting his hand on her shoulder, switching their powers again.

"Sure I can." Merc said. "You switch powers with Sue, then with me, then with her again so that she winds up with Telepathy, you wind up with your own powers, and I wind up with invisibility."

"Wouldn't it just be easier for me to do it?" Sue asked.

"Look…I have to talk to him. I have to find out why he kidnaps me one day and then protects me from missiles the next." Merc said.

"Sounds reasonable." Ben said. "Let her do it."

"I still don't…" Reed said, but Johnny seemed to be on Merc's side. He put his hand onto Sue's shoulder then onto Merc's shoulder, then back onto Sue's just before she caught her whole body on fire.

Getting out of the room was easy as Johnny distracted the guard. Merc walked quietly through the halls until she found the room she was looking for. She waited until it was empty before slipping through the door she had held open just a bit with a force field.

"I know you're there." The Surfer said. Merc walked up to him and turned visible. "How are you able to do that?"

"My boyfriend." Merc said. "You grabbed him…he can now switch powers with us. So he switched with his sister then with me…weird story." The Surfer just stared at her again. "Umm…I'm Mercedes…you can call me Merc…or Mercy…whatever. Uh…do you, have a name? Other then like…Silver Surfer?" He didn't reply. "Can you…stop…staring at me please?"

"I am sorry." The Surfer said, looking at the door that Merc had come in before looking back at her.

"If you're not the destroyer…who is?" Merc asked.

"Galactus." The Surfer said.

"Is that a…plant?" Merc asked.

"He is the eater of planets." The Surfer said.

"Ew." Merc said.

"I prepare the planets for him." The Surfer said.

"Can't you stop it?" Merc asked. "Why do you do this?"

"If I don't…then he will destroy my planet…and my love." The Surfer said. Merc looked at him sadly.

"Is that why you protected me?" She asked. Very slowly, the Surfer nodded. "Why did you kidnap me?"

"You were the first one to notice me." The Surfer said. "On this whole planet."

"And I didn't even have my powers then." Merc said. The Surfer looked confused. "It's a long story." They heard noises and Merc turned invisible again. "How does Galactus know where you are?"

"The source of my power is the beckon." The Surfer said.

"Ok that…your board." Merc said. The Surfer nodded. "I have to get back to everyone else. We will get you out of here." She slid her hand into his for a second before leaving the room as easily as possible.

"How do you defeat something that can eat planets?" Johnny asked, once Merc returned, switched her powers back, and filled them all in.

"Very carefully." Ben said.

"It's going to be today." Reed said. "Eight days…the time is up."

"Yeah we know." Merc said. "So we have to get out of here, then get his board before…" She stopped.

"What?" The others asked.

"I think I just figured out what Victor wanted from all of this." Merc said. They got out of the room, having to knock out the guard first, and then ran through the halls trying to find where they had the board hidden. "He's going to use the board to gain extra power or something."

"He was working on something when he should have been helping Reed." Sue said. "Maybe it's something that would enable him to control the board."

"Yeah probably." Merc said. "Would not put it past the guy." They ran around a corner and Merc stopped. "There's something not right." Next second, there was an explosion up ahead. Sue ducked one way and Johnny pulled Merc another as a piece of the wall came flying at them.

"Well…that was close." Johnny said. The wall piece fell to reveal Ben stuck in another wall.

"Speak for yourself Tinkerbelle." Ben said.

"Where's Reed." Sue asked. Everyone looked around. Ben got away from the wall to reveal Reed behind him.

"Sorry." Ben said, once Reed got out as well. By that time, Merc was already through the hole into the room where the explosion came from. She gasped and the others all came in.

"Oh my god." Sue said. The general was, in simple terms, dead. Merc looked away from him and at, what she guessed was the containment for the board…had the board still been there.

"He's got it." Reed said.

"What now?" Ben asked.

"I don't know." Reed said. "Merc?" She looked at them.

"We have to get the Surfer." Merc said, walking past them and back into the halls.

"Why?" Sue asked.

"A) I promised we'd get him out." Merc said. "And B) He's the only one who knows how to control that thing. If we can get him out, get Victor off the board, and then get the Surfer back onto it…maybe he can get Galactus away from us in time."

"It's crazy…but it could work." Reed said. They followed her to the room where the Surfer was and Ben broke through the wall.

"This is your lucky day." He said. Merc went forward and flicked her wrist, unshackling the Surfer. He fell and she had to catch him.

"Little help." Merc said. Ben stepped forward and took him from her. "Thanks Uncle Ben."

"No problem Sweetie." Ben said. "How do we get out of here?"

"The car." Reed said. Merc raised an eyebrow as Reed started playing with his PDA again. "Alright, let's go." He put it away and everyone followed him this time.

"What car do we have that can get us out of here?" Merc asked.

"The same one we used to pick you up." Ben said.

"Oh." Merc said. "That thing. Gotcha." They got to a stairwell relatively unnoticed. There was one officer that Johnny tried talking to but Merc just knocked out.

"Think you could lend a hand here Mercy." Ben said. Merc looked at her Uncle who was still carrying the Surfer. She turned her hand, palm up, and lifted it, causing the Surfer to lift up as well. It made things a bit easier as they went up the stairs as quickly as possible.

* * *

**READ ME PLEASE!!!**

Ok stopping it there. The whole second movie stuff will either be done next chapter or the chapter after that. Then…I dunno…I might continue with the story or I might end it. I want to know what you people think. If I end it, I'll probably put in an epilogue where it's like a few years later with kids involved or something. I might just do a sequel though because I think I have an idea.


	21. Jealousy and Death

**Jealousy**

Ok I dunno what I'm gonna do. Continue with this story or make a sequel.

* * *

Reed and Sue sat in the front of the 'car', Ben in the back, Merc and the Surfer sat in the middle and Johnny had to fly along outside the car.

"Ok so we have to find Victor." Reed said.

"We get that." Merc said. She dragged her hand through her hair, trying to keep it out of her face. She looked down at her little steering handle. She had no clue why it was there but it was and she was pretty sure she was going to find out why soon enough.

"Norrin Radd." The Surfer said.

"What?" Merc asked, looking at him.

"That was my name." The Surfer said. Merc smiled at him.

"I like it. Don't worry, Norrin." She said. Johnny watched the exchange as he flew by Ben's part of the 'car'. His eyes narrowed at the two.

"Jealous?" Ben asked.

"Hardly." Johnny lied. He and Merc were weak as relationships went. There was the possibility that they could break easily. He didn't like when Merc smiled and put her hand on the Surfer's shoulder before saying something. He was beginning to wish she'd stop turning her communicator off.

"Guys!" Reed yelled. "We've got company." Ahead of them was Victor in all his Dr. Doom glory and flying on the Surfer's board. Merc narrowed her eyes at him. Reed tried yelling things at Doom but the other man paid no attention and shot his electricity beams at them. "We're gonna have to separate!!"

"WHAT?!" Merc, Sue and Ben all yelled. Reed hit something and the three parts of the car broke apart. Merc jumped and grabbed hold of her steering. She flicked her communicator back on.

"We have a problem here Reed." Merc said.

"What?" Reed asked.

"I CAN'T FLY ANYTHING!!" Merc said. "I can barely drive a goddamn car and you want me to…" She turned sharply to avoid getting hit with the blue lightning bolts.

"Just do what you're doing." Reed said.

"Keep your eyes on one of us Merc." Johnny said.

"LOOK OUT!" Ben said. Merc looked up as Victor shot at a mountain and the rocks were falling down on them. She used one hand to steer and the other to throw the rocks away.

"You doing ok, Norrin?" Merc asked, glancing at her passenger.

"Yes." Norrin said.

"Sorry if I'm shaking you up a bit." Merc said. She dropped them down quickly to avoid hitting more rocks. They skimmed the top of the water below them before Merc managed to pull them back up.

"For someone who can't fly…you're doing well." Norrin said. Merc smiled.

"MERCY LOOK OUT!!" Johnny yelled. Merc just started to steer in a different direction when Doom finally managed to hit them. They went down, spinning. Merc squeezed her eyes shut. She felt a hand on hers. They crashed down and Merc blacked out for a minute. When she came to, Norrin was no longer with her. Her head was killing her and it looked like she was in china town.

"How appropriate." Merc muttered, unbuckling and climbing out of the car. "Damn it…Norrin!" She looked around and then spotted him. He was standing, unharmed, and looking at Doom who was floating a distance away. "NORRIN!" Merc ran as she noticed Doom form a spear and start towards Norrin. She had completely forgot about the last time she tried her powers on an occupant of the board as she stopped right in front of Norrin and threw her hands up. Doom slowed down and it took just a bit longer for him to reach them then attended. Either way though, the spear didn't hit its original target…it hit Merc, right between her ribs. She seemed stunned as her arms dropped and then her whole body crumbled to the ground…or at least would have if Norrin didn't catch her. As the others arrived, Johnny launched a huge fireball at Doom, throwing him away as he landed and flamed off. Ben, Reed and Sue all jumped out of their seats and ran over.

"Oh god, Merc!" Johnny said.

"Ow." Merc said. Sue did something that got rid of the spear.

(((A/N: I honestly do not know what she did in the movie. I thought she just turned it invisible but apparently she got rid of it.)))

"You protected me." Norrin said.

"Just…paying you back." Merc said.

"We're not going to be able to beat Doom." Reed said. "It would take all five of us and he'll always see it all coming."

"Or it could take one of us." Johnny said.

"Johnny…" Merc said.

"I'm not making this about me, Mercy." Johnny said. "We've already proven that I could hold two powers at once so…maybe I can hold all five."

"What other choice do we have?" Sue asked. Merc just nodded and held up her hand. Sue put hers on top of Merc's, Reed put his on Sue's and Ben put his on top of all of them.

"Wish me luck." Johnny said.

"Don't get killed." Merc said.

"Close enough." Johnny said, putting his hand on top of all of them. Ben became normal looking as Johnny flamed on and disappeared. Ben looked at his niece before getting up and leaving her range of vision.

"Sue." Merc said. Sue looked at the younger woman. "This hurts way too much."

"You'll make it, sweetie." Sue said. "Just hold in there for a bit longer." Merc whimpered and shook her head. "Yes, Mercedes you have to." Reed took Norrin's place, having Merc's head on his lap as the Silver Surfer rose and watched Johnny and Doom fight it out above them.

"We lost you on the team once before and we're not doing it again." Reed said. "You have to hold on." Reed and Sue knew what they were asking was being a bit selfish. It was obvious that Merc was in pain and bleeding quite a bit. They were more worried about how Johnny would handle it rather then how they would.

"I can't do it guys." Merc said. Ben came back and Merc smiled weakly at him.

"Hey, sweetie, hang on." Ben said. He brushed her hair back from her forehead.

"I love you, Uncle Ben." Merc said.

"Don't you dare!" Ben threatened.

"What are you gonna do to stop me?" Merc asked, quietly. Sue was crying by this point and Ben looked pretty close to it. Johnny was suddenly back with them and gave them all their powers back. "Don't think that'll work, hot shot." Everyone looked up at the giant black cloud that none of them really even noticed before that was also sinking down towards them.

"He is here." Norrin said. He looked at his board and stepped back onto it. His feet molding back into it. He came over to them as Merc's eyes closed. Johnny sniffed and rubbed his eyes while his sister hid her face on Reed's shoulder. Norrin put his hand over Merc's throat and there was an odd glowing. Everyone looked at him. He looked at Johnny. "Let her know that you love her and cherish her."

"Wha…" Johnny went to ask but never got it out as Norrin went up into the air and into the cloud. "He's not gonna make it properly by himself."

"What are you thinking?" Ben asked.

"Flame on." Johnny said, doing as he said and flew into the air after the Surfer. Ben watched him and looked at Merc. She was completely still. Ben looked around as the cloud suddenly drew back very quickly and vanished. He saw Johnny coming down to the ground and went over. Sue and Reed looked at Merc. She suddenly jumped, gasped then started coughing. She looked up at Sue and Reed and smiled.

"What I miss?" Merc asked. Sue laughed and hugged her before Reed helped her stand.

"You did good kid." Ben said, slapping Johnny lightly on the back. Johnny jumped away from him and both of them waited for the switch but nothing happened.

"Hey!" Johnny said, smiling. He hugged Ben then quickly stepped away from him as he realized what he was doing.

"Hey guys…I think someone wants to see you." Reed said. Johnny and Ben looked over at them and both of them stared at Merc. Johnny was quicker to get over the shock then Ben was and he ran at his girlfriend, hugging her, spinning her around, then kissing her.

"Never, ever, ever do that again!" Johnny said, resting his forehead against hers as he set her down. "I love you too much to let you go."

"Good to know." Merc said. Ben coughed. Merc looked at him before stepping away from Johnny and hugging her Uncle.

"Quit scaring me, kiddo." Ben said.

"Where's the fun in that?" Merc asked. Once Ben released her, she went straight back to Johnny as the five of them started walking away.

"So…now what do we do?" Reed asked.

"I feel in the mood for something light…easy." Sue said.

"How about a wedding?" Merc asked. Johnny looked at her. "I mean Reed and Sue. We've been doing so much stuff we've basically ignored the fact that they're engaged."

"Merc is right." Reed said. "So what do you think? Big celebration…or low key?"

"Definitely low key." Sue and Merc said together. They laughed.

"Well what do you have in mind?" Johnny asked. Merc smirked.

_**Few Days Later…**_

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…" The minister said. Merc was standing next to Alicia, both in purple dresses, holding a small bouquet of flowers. Sue was in front of Reed in a beautiful Japanese styled dress. Johnny and Ben were across from Merc and Alicia. Johnny winked at Merc who smirked.

At that moment Reed's PDA went off. The Fantastic Five members groaned as Reed looked guilty but pulled it out.

"It's just…some place sinking back into the ocean." He said. "Nothing big."

"Maybe just skip to the end." Sue said, smiling slightly.

"Um…if anyone has any…" The minister said.

"No like…right to the end." Reed said.

"Oh um…" The minister said. Merc and Johnny both looked as if they were holding in laughing. "You may now kiss the bride." Reed and Sue kissed each other and everyone there clapped for them.

"Ok, let's go." Reed said.

"See you later." Ben said, kissing Alicia gently as the others headed for the car, all fixed up and ready to fly again.

"Reed…I have to throw the bouquet." Sue said.

"Ok." Reed said.

"Ok girls, get ready." Sue said, turning her back to the girls.

"Good thing for you Merc isn't in that crowd." Ben said, climbing into the back of the car.

"She wouldn't catch it anyways." Johnny said.

"Oh really?" Merc asked. Sue threw the bouquet and Merc looked up at it. It froze and everyone looked at it confused as it went the opposite way that it was thrown. Johnny panicked just a bit and faked a cough so that he could bring his hand up and throw fire at the flowers, which fell to the ground, burnt. Merc looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Reflex." Johnny said. She pushed him over and sat next to him in the middle section of the car.

"Ok love birds, let's go." Merc said. Reed and Sue got into the car and it flew off into the air. Merc, who was in control of steering again, made Reed hit the separation button. Johnny looked at her in surprise then laughed as the three sections formed their symbol in the sky before flying off to save the day.

* * *

**THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY!!!!!!!**

I know, corny chapter ending, like the movie though (I couldn't remember what place was in trouble. I think it started with an S). Well for those who never saw the movie, this is pretty much what it was like (minus Merc and half the dialogue). I didn't add in Johnny and Doom's little fight because there was no way I'd be able to do it and do justice to that scene (which is an amazing scene). But think about this all you movie viewers. Doom didn't actually die again. He just sorta sank to the bottom of the water. So he can be a potential threat all over again…again.

SHOW OF REVIEWS!!!! HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL READ THE SEQUEL IF I MADE ONE?????


	22. NPPDC

**Not so Picture Perfect but Damn Close**

Ok so…I'm gonna make this the last chapter and then make a sequel. I'll give you all options at the end of this chapter.

* * *

"Wow…the world has been trouble free for like…two weeks now. Still can't believe it." Merc said. She was sitting with Johnny on a swing, under a tent like thing on the beach. The team had decided to have a party in order to celebrate the world being safe for the last while. Johnny was actually lying on the swing, his head on the arm rest by Merc and his feet dangling over the other one. Merc walked her fingertips over Johnny's chest every so often. They had danced for a while and now were just relaxing.

"Yeah…you said the same thing twenty minutes ago." Johnny said.

"Yo Torch!!! Fire's dying!" Someone shouted. Johnny tilted his head back slightly then shot fire at the pile of wood a few metres away.

"Hmm…you're good." Merc said, leaning down and kissing him. "But you being in this position is making kissing hard."

"But I'm so relaxed." Johnny said. Merc smirked and pushed him just a little too hard, making Johnny roll off the swing and fall to the sand. "That was not funny."

"Sure it was." Merc said. Johnny grabbed her leg and pulled her down on top of him. "Alright hot shot, you got me down. What you gonna do now?"

"This." Johnny said, rolling over so that Merc was on the sand and he was on top of her.

"Do you know how long it'll take to get this sand out of my hair?" Merc asked, just before Johnny pressed his lips against hers. She moaned and kissed him back harder…

Someone coughed and they stopped, pulled apart, and looked up to see Ben and Alicia standing over them, Alicia giggling softly.

"Why are you laughing when you can't see what's going on?" Merc asked.

"I don't need to see in order to know that you two got caught." Alicia said.

"Mind getting off my niece now?" Ben asked. Johnny got up and Merc giggled as he helped her up. He put an arm around her as she put both around him. "I hate to say it but you two do work together."

"Aww thanks Uncle Ben." Merc said. "About time." Both girls laughed.

"Ok, Hawaii girl, how about we dance again?" Johnny asked. Merc smirked. Everyone had been calling her that all night because she was wearing a Hawaiian dress she got from the people there a few weeks back when they saved them from a volcano. Sue was wearing a similar one and Ben had on a Hawaiian shirt. The girls were also taught how to hula, which Merc picked up on easily. Sue figured it out quickly as well.

"How about me and Sue dance…and you and Reed just enjoy watching?" Merc asked.

"That works." Johnny said. Merc smiled and ran over to Reed and Sue. She dragged both of them over before they went to the guys who were playing instruments. Reed and Johnny sat down simultaneously as the girls started dancing. After a little while, Merc pulled some more girls into the dance and they soon had a whole group thing going. The previous week, Sue had volunteered to help Merc out with her dancing classes and they had come up with a few new things to teach the other kids.

"I love doing this to him." Merc said, looking from Johnny to Sue.

"I've noticed." Sue said, smiling. She had two reasons to smile. One was from the fact that her brother was so easily manipulated by the young girl next to her. And two was what her brother had planned for said girl.

"So what did you think of that?" Merc asked, dropping onto Johnny's lap at the end of the dance.

"Do you honestly need to ask?" Johnny asked.

"Hmmm…no." Merc said. "But it's fun watching your reactions." She put her hand on his cheek and kissed him. Some people made a few cat calls but the youngest superhero couple ignored them. Johnny's arm wound its way around her waist, resting on the opposite hip as Merc's other arm went around his neck. They pulled apart after nearly a minute. Johnny's head dropped onto Merc's shoulder as best as it could with their position.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"Umm…almost midnight." Merc said. "Why? Tired?"

"Mmhmm." Johnny said, nodding slightly. He moved his head so that it was off his girlfriend's shoulder and more onto his own. Merc moved her hand to massage the back of his neck. He moaned softly and Merc smiled.

"Poor baby." She said. "Do we need to get you off to bed?"

"Hmmm…" Johnny said. He caught Ben's eye and the other man nodded at him. "Actually…wanna take a walk with me?"

"Sure." Merc said. They stood up and Johnny, taking her hand, walked with her along the edge of the water. Their feet got wet every time the waves rolled in but neither of them cared.

"Come on, come on." Ben said, quietly, sneaking after the couple with Reed, Sue and Alicia.

"So…what did you wanna talk about?" Merc asked.

"What makes you…did you read my mind again?" Johnny asked.

"No." Merc said. "I swear."

"Ok…well…" Johnny said. He stopped walking and Merc looked at him.

"You ok, baby?" She asked.

"Yeah, fine." Johnny said.

"You're not pregnant are you?" Merc asked, smiling.

"Ha, ha, very funny." Johnny said.

"Well now you know how I felt every time you asked me that." Merc said. Johnny gave her a serious look. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry. What's up?" She moved over in front of him and glanced back at the small audience they had that was unsuccessfully trying to be stealthy. Her attention returned to Johnny, however, as he looked down at the wet sand and then knelt in it. Merc stared at him with wide eyes.

"Ok so you know…been friends for a few years now and together for a couple of months." Johnny said.

"A messed up couple of months." Merc said, still with wide eyes.

"Yeah but we stuck together through it." Johnny said. "And you know I love you and that whole thing with the Surfer made me realize that I don't ever want to be without you, Mercy."

"You were jealous!" Merc said, smiling and losing the wide eyed look.

"Yes ok fine, I was jealous." Johnny said. Merc giggled. "The point is…I wanna be with you Merc…and no one but you." Merc's wide eyed look returned as Johnny pulled out a ring. "So…Mercedes Denver…will you marry me?"

"I…uh…oh…" Merc said. She looked from Johnny to the team then back at Johnny. She had really only dated about four guys, not including Johnny, since Ben allowed her to start dating four years ago. She wasn't very experienced in the whole dating thing but Johnny had been with her through all of her relationships and had been the one to help her over the break-ups.

To most people Johnny was a jerk-y playboy but he really did care about her. The only thing she had to worry about now was did she actually want to spend the rest of her life with him.

"Not trying to put any pressure on you or anything, but the sooner you answer, the sooner I can stop having a wet, sand covered knee." Johnny said. Merc laughed. Johnny smiled at her.

"Hmm…Mercedes Storm…yeah I guess it sounds good." Merc said.

"So you saying yes then?" Johnny asked.

"Duh." Merc said. Johnny slid the ring onto her finger before standing up and hugging her, kissing her quickly.

"They did it!" Ben said. Merc laughed as Johnny jumped.

"Did you honestly not know they were there??" Merc asked.

"Actually no." Johnny said. Merc laughed more as the two couples approached the newly engaged couple.

"Wow I just thought of something." Merc said.

"What's that?" Reed asked.

"Well if Johnny and I manage to survive through our engagement and get married…" Merc said. "And if Uncle Ben and Alicia get married…then all of us will be related to each other."

"She's right." Johnny said. "You may not be science smart, but you are still damn brilliant in most other things."

"Aww thanks, baby." Merc said. She kissed him softly.

"I love you." Johnny said.

"I love you too." Merc said. It was the first time any of them had heard her say that to Johnny but most likely it would not be the last.

* * *

_**THE END…UNTIL THE SEQUEL!!!**_

Ok so, like I said at the beginning of this chapter, I will give you options now. For the sequel what would you people like? I want a vote for each category.

**Kid Wise:  
**A) None  
B) Reed and Sue  
C) Merc and Johnny  
D) Ben and Alicia, B or C as well  
E) Just B and C  
F)All three couples (Reed and Sue, Merc and Johnny, Ben and Alicia)

**Other People:  
**A) Bring back Doom  
B) Bring back the Surfer (As a good guy)  
C) Have a new villain

**Timeline:  
**A) A year  
B) Five years  
C) Ten years  
D) Sixteen years

I have ideas for most of the things and I'm pretty sure I can blend stuff together.


End file.
